LOS ANGELES – The embattled shutterbug who photographed actress Cameron Diaz topless said yesterday the blond beauty eagerly posed for him because she needed a sexy edge for her modeling portfolio.

John Rutter [pictured left] testified that he and Diaz agreed before the 1992 shoot that her photos would be sold overseas.

The photographer is charged with attempted grand theft, forgery and perjury involving Diaz’s photos, shot when she was an unknown 19-year-old.

Rutter, 42, tried to sell the photos to Diaz in June 2003, before the release of “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” claiming he had a signed release from her.

Rutter said he had a reputation for taking cutting-edge pictures in the 1990s, a look Diaz needed to market herself as a model in Europe.

The photographer said he told Diaz before the shoot that he planned to someday sell the pictures abroad.

Rutter claimed he had a verbal agreement with Diaz before the shoot, and that his assistant had gotten her to sign a release.

Authorities claim Rutter tried to pressure Diaz to buy back the pictures by using a fake model release with the actress’s forged signature.

Rutter denied he tried to blackmail Diaz, and said she was initially receptive to marketing at least a half-dozen of the sexy pictures. He said Diaz offered him $1 million for the photos.

“I said the value of those images was worth more than that,” said Rutter, who asked for $3.5 million.