Naomi applies makeup in the dressing room of Sweet Illusions Gentlemen’s club, where she has worked as a dancer for nearly two years. Naomi works from 7:00pm to 2:30 am, four to five nights a week, in addition to taking classes at Lane Community College.

Naomi gets her shoes tied by a co-worker “Nicole,” who requested not to be named. In the background, “Luna,” who also requested her identity not be disclosed, adjusts her bra before going on-stage.

Naomi, left investigates a loose string on the underwear of her co-worker, “Bunny,” while “Dani,” right, looks on. Although Naomi admits that the atmosphere can sometimes be tense and competitive between dancers, she says they generally look out for one another.

Naomi counts her money mid-shift at Sweet Illusions Gentlemen's club. According to Naomi, the unpredictable cash flow is one of the most frustrating parts of the job, as dancers are considered “independent contractors” and are not paid hourly by the club. With her rent money and tuition entirely dependent on the tips of customers, Naomi says it can be difficult to stay positive during the slower winter months.

Naomi checks her phone on the drive home after her shift. She usually gets a ride from one of the other dancers or calls an Uber, as her own car is unreliable.

Naomi looks over a selection of lingerie and potential work outfits at “Exclusively Adult” a 24-hour sex store just down the street from her work. She needs to go shopping about once a month, as her outfits tend to wear out quickly.

Naomi performs a pole trick at Sweet Illusions Gentlemen’s Club in Springfield, while a tip from the last customer of the night lies in front of her. The exotic dancer of two years says she had never touched a pole in her life when she started the job, and had to learn entirely on-stage.

Naomi giggles over a picture of her new boyfriend with the bartender at Sweet Illusions, Shawnda Wasson. Dancers are encouraged to split 15% of their earnings at the end of the night with the bartender and bouncer, though Naomi admits she tends to give more to her favorite co-workers, like Wasson.

Dressed in a hoodie and sweats, Naomi enters the front door of Sweet Illusions Gentlemen’s club. Although she has tried out other clubs in the Springfield and Eugene area, Naomi says that the management and co-workers at Sweet Illusions are her favorite.

In a rare moment of solitude, Naomi looks at her reflection in the mirror in her bedroom in Eugene. Her room is filled with things that inspire her -- the world map, marked with pins of countries she plans to travel to, and a tapestry of sunflowers, which she says brightens her mood during Oregon’s gloomy winter months.

Naomi counts the money from her safe in her bedroom. On her nightstand, a barbie straddles a miniature pole: a cake-topper made by her roommates on her 21st birthday. Rather than deposit all her earnings in her bank, Naomi prefers to keep physical cash in her room. This is a decision dancers must weigh early in their career: keeping their earnings in the bank opens them up to higher taxes and means they must keep close track of their income, however only dealing in cash makes it difficult to build credit and later make big purchases, like a car or a home.

Kira Johnson, right, laughs while taking a picture of Naomi in a face-mask. Johnson and Naomi have known each other since attending Lincoln High School in Portland, and plan to travel together after graduation.

Naomi adds an olive to a homemade salad while Kira Johnson, right, stirs a pasta dish in their shared kitchen in Eugene. Naomi and Johnson have both been vegan for more than a year, and enjoy cooking healthy meals together.

Naomi, left, glances over the shoulder of Kira Johnson, as she scrolls through Naomi’s new boyfriend’s instagram feed. “It can be hard to find a good relationship while being stripper,” Naomi says. She explains that after finding out her profession, men tend to fetishize it or want nothing to do with her. “It’s nice to find someone who gets, you know, that it’s just my job.”