The saying that when goths discover the color "brown" for themselves, it's called steampunk, also has something to do with it.
Ultimately, however, it is also the wonderful stories of Jules Verne that make steampunk for me. A genre in which women in Victorian style clothing also try their hand at steam and gear-driven machines. A little adventure romance and do-it-yourself mentality, which can be combined well with the topic of "sensual photography" and opens up a lot of interesting, creative paths for your own imagination.