“From a few mumbled words, a phone sex operator must weave a bespoke and finely detailed fantasy encounter,” writes New York photographer Phillip Toledano in the introduction to his new collection of portraits, “Phonesex” (Twin Palms). “It requires a vivid imagination, acting ability, and above all, a deep understanding of the human appetite.”
Fascinated by the sordid activities that are “hidden in plain sight,” Toledano photographed more than a dozen (unnamed) operators and had them explain their unique profession. He walked away impressed by the “artificial passion play” of “skilled verbal fantasists.”