Photographer Jamie Nelson has one helluva resume. She’s snapped sessions for a ton of A-listers, among them Gwen Stefani, Drew Barrymore, and Megan Thee Stallion, plus her work has been seen in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and, most importantly for the sake of this article, Playboy. The L.A. resident spoke with her periodic employer about empowerment, her love for all things vintage, and the oversized genitalia in her garden.

Playboy: Where, where, and how did you develop your love for the Playboy brand?

Nelson: I got into the motorcycle scene about ten years ago, [where] vintage Playboy symbology is really heavy. You’ll see Playboy patches, crop tops, biker rings, motorcycle parts, you name it. In that culture, [Playboy] really represents rebellion, strengthening your own sexuality, and [a sense of] freedom. I have vintage Playboy posters all over my house, as well as a custom motorcycle that has Playboy symbols everywhere. And [since it’s] very much about sexuality, the motorcycle has a secret dildo compartment.

Playboy: What custom bike is complete without a secret dildo compartment?

Nelson: Right? And I’ve been told that my house is the female version of the Playboy Mansion. I have a whole drawer full of Speedos and I force all my biker dudes to wear them at my pool parties…and then they end up liking them! I think [my place] has the same kind of vibe [as the Mansion]: Hypersexual, rock and roll, people running around naked, jumping off the roof, motorcycles parked by the pool. It’s a lot of fun.

Playboy: Do you have a grotto in your backyard?

Nelson: No, but I do have an eight-and-a-half-foot tall penis hedge. Everybody loves it.

Playboy: That’s total old-school Mansion stuff. To that end, much of your photography has a tangibly sexual vibe. Is that by design?

Nelson: Yes. I love being a woman and I love empowering other women. I feel like [female sexuality has] really been shamed in today’s culture, and I want women to be comfortable with themselves. If they’re comfortable [during a photo shoot]—which, for the most part, they are—I like to push them to do things they haven’t done before. Like I recently shot a cover for Nylon with Paris Hilton topless, holding ice cream cones in front of her.

Playboy: Name one of your biggest photographic influences.

Nelson: Guy Bourdain. His work is very dramatic, very sexual. It’s graphic, but it’s actual art.

Playboy: Do you have any dream clients?

Nelson: I want to say Stephen Tyler, but I couldn’t do it, because I actually want to marry him and I would pass out. [Laughs] And Lady Gaga would be really fun. I think we’d really relate on a lot of levels.

Playboy: Since you’re all about vintage, here’s a vintage Playboy question: What turns you on, and what turns you off?

Nelson: A big turn on would be confidence—like I love a man who [has the confidence to wear] Speedos or tight pants. A turn off would be when guys can’t use “your” and “you’re” correctly.

Playboy: Preach on, sister. I’m a full-fledged grammar policeman, and that’s very much an arrestable offense.

Nelson: It’s the worst. That, and negativity. Those are my big turnoffs.

Playboy: What’s one piece of sex advice you’d give to a guy?

Nelson: Women are emotional, so try to make them feel safe. And go slow, and tease, and don’t skip the foreplay.

Playboy: In terms of your art, where are you headed?

Nelson: I guess my whole purpose [as a photographer] is to make women feel empowered and really celebrate their sexuality. We need more love and acceptance and less cancel culture. Women have to support other women.