What I find frustrating about mainstream modern pornography is not that it lacks artisitc merit, because, as bassnation says, thats not really what I'm looking for from porn. Rather, its the almost total lack of any sensuality, that I find it hard to think of anything I've seen that is remotely "sexy". The veracity of the act is important - if there's something that leads the viewer to believe that the particpants are actually involved and enjoying themselves. You do come across (pardon the pun!) this occasionally in mainstream porn, but not often - it's especially noticable in its absence, as previously mentioned in the vast amount of "lesbian" pornography.
The other factor is the background to the sex, and the fact that almost all porn stars live up to their stereotype of being terrible actors. Watching mainstream cinema, where one does see quite often sexy and sensual performances (but then never very much of the actual sex) has often led me to bemoan the lack of any really well put together porn films.
I guess that amateur porn might do better on both these counts, but I'd honestly rather watch beautiful people doing it than the couple from next door. I also don't have a problem with some degree of "gynaecological" (within limits) camerawork, in fact I think I'd consider it important to indulge in the beauty of genitalia, as opposed to the puritanical hiding away of it that happens in mainstream cinema (which has no problems showing the intimate insides of human viscera splayed out in acts of violence).
To refer to a concrete example, the seduction scene in "Bound", in which Gina Gershon as the butch plumber seduces Jennifer Tilly (or is it the other way around?), I found to be really quite sexy and well acted. But of course, the film doesn't follow through with a full on sex scene. Why isnt porn like this (I thought at the time)? Why isn't porn well acted and scripted?
I've heard about female directors who supposedly are into doing this sort of thing, but never seen any. If any of you dissensians have any recommendations...