Rural Erotica: When a Rooster Met Rolleicord
A Shoulder, a Rooster, and the Return of Rural Erotism
Yuliya Panchenko and Her Model, Jordana, Captured with Rolleicord II
About the Camera
The Rolleicord Model II is a twin-lens reflex camera made by Franke & Heidecke between 1936–1937. It shoots 6x6 images on 120 film and offers a completely mechanical experience—no batteries, no electronics, just pure vintage craftsmanship. Unlike its more famous cousin, the Rolleiflex, the Rolleicord was known for being more accessible, yet still capable of delivering beautifully sharp and high-contrast images.
This particular camera had never been tested before the shoot. But true to the spirit of Forbidden Frames, the mystery was part of the thrill.
Unlike its high-end sibling, the Rolleiflex, the Rolleicord was a working-class hero of the film world. But don’t let its modesty fool you—it was responsible for capturing some of the most soulful photographs of the early 20th century. With vintage Ilford XP2 and Kodak Portra 400 film loaded, this camera still holds the power to pause time and stir emotion.
Boudoir with Rolleicord II Captured by Yuliya Panchenko
Boudoir with Rolleicord II Captured by Yuliya Panchenko
The Concept: Erotism in Simplicity
For this session, we found ourselves deep in the village backroads of Florida, on a quiet, sun-washed porch with creaky floors and lazy shadows. The setting could’ve been anywhere in the American South a century ago. It was timeless, simple, and quietly seductive.
Yuliya Panchenko, the artist behind this ever-evolving boudoir series, stepped behind the camera with her usual mix of nervousness and vision. In her hands, the Rolleicord II became more than a tool—it became a time machine.
Our muse wore silk sleepwear, soft and sheer. Barefoot, she mingled with a real rooster—yes, a live one—as if they were childhood companions. And Yuliya didn’t give her a script. She simply asked her to exist, to wait, to be seen. Like a village girl waiting for someone—anyone—to pass by and notice the way the sun hit her skin or how a strap gently fell from her shoulder.
Boudoir with Rolleicord II Captured by Yuliya Panchenko
Boudoir with Rolleicord II Captured by Yuliya Panchenko
Why This Matters
In Yuliya's words, which echo in every frame she captures:
“We’re not just saving film. We’re not just recreating boudoir. We’re bringing back the feeling—the excitement of seeing a shoulder, a breeze lifting hair, or a fingertip tracing a neck. That emotion is vanishing. And as photographers, that’s the hardest art to preserve.”
This session was a reminder of how far we’ve drifted from subtlety. Erotism today is often loud and literal. But back then—a single glance, a half-smile, a silken slip of fabric could raise heartbeats. And that's exactly the kind of tension Yuliya channeled through this scene.
Boudoir with Rolleicord II Captured by Yuliya Panchenko
Behind the Shoot
Photographing with a camera from 1936 is no small feat. The waist-level viewfinder flips your orientation, so right becomes left, and movement becomes mental math. Add to that the 6x6 square format—an unusual composition space—and a completely manual focus mechanism, and you have a challenge that modern photographers rarely face.
Yuliya embraced the challenge. She took her time. With every frame, she focused not just on the subject but on the story.
The rooster became a character in itself—wandering in and out of frame, occasionally perched in her model’s lap like a rural guardian. The interaction between woman and animal, silk and sunlight, lens and story—it worked.
Yuliya Panchenko Holding a Rolleicord II
Yuliya Panchenko continues to lead this bold journey, camera by camera, story by story. Through Forbidden Frames, she reminds us what boudoir once was—and what it can still be: personal, emotional, suggestive, and deeply human.
The entire session is now available to stream as part of Forbidden Frames: Season One on BIB TV. You'll see every challenge, every laugh, and the exact moment the rooster stole the scene.
