Dave Lucas is a nude art photographer based in the outer north-western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. A master of his craft, his work has been featured in several publications.
He loves to capture his subjects’ unique beauty and personalities in portrait photography and capture his subjects naturally to peek into the “real person” beneath the surface.
He believes that people are complex and that a portrait can be a powerful way to capture the essence of a person.
As a nude art photographer, he works on glamour, art nude, and boudoir photography under the umbrella of nude photography.
Check out a helpful masterclass to learn amazing bodyscapes here.
1. What inspired you to be a photographer?
Ans: From a young age, I always had a fascination with photos and began playing with my parent’s camera whenever I had the chance. It wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I began getting into photography properly.
There is something special about capturing an image that is a snapshot of time, and eventually, my fascination with photographing people took over.
2. What excites you about your work?
I get excited about working with creatives who have a real passion for what they do and want to share that to create beautiful art.
Coming up with ideas and seeing them come to life in my photos is always exciting.
3. What is a myth about nude photography that people believe?
I’m unsure if this is a myth, but I think there are people out there who seem to associate sex (or sexuality) with nude photography.
Art nude photography is anything but this, and as an art nude/glamour photographer, my professionalism and respect for the women I work with are paramount.
The naked body is beautiful and should be appreciated for so much more than the sexual context people seem to associate it with.
Celebrating the feminine form by capturing the curves and shapes of the body, alongside the confidence and emotion the model shares with the camera, is truly an art.
4. Whose work do you admire the most in the industry?
There are many wonderful art nude/glamour photographers, and whilst I don’t follow many too closely, I do love the work of Sean Archer and Alex Manfredini.
They have very different styles, but they both celebrate the beauty of the body so well.
5. How is nude photography different from all other genres?
I think there are several ways this could be viewed. The nudity is the most obvious, but I think the confidence that the model needs to have in themselves is perhaps at another level than other genres.
All models need confidence, regardless of the genre, but being an art nude model is extremely confronting and challenging – both physically and mentally.
Beyond this, I feel a higher level of trust needs to be present between the model and photographer to get the very best out of the model and help her to feel comfortable – which builds her confidence.
6. Among boudoir, art nude, and glamour photography, which one is your favorite to shoot and why?
This is a very hard question to answer. I don’t have a clear favorite between them, and they each hold something special for me for different reasons.
If I had to choose one, glamour might be the happy medium between the three sub-genres. There is so much you can do in this space, allowing the model to choose what level of nudity is shared in the images.
7. What have been some of your most challenging shoots?
Shooting outdoors often presents many challenges. I recall a forest shoot with leeches and bugs presenting a problem.
We were quite concerned during the shoot, which distracted us a little at the beginning until we eventually learned to work with the situation and make it work for us.
The cold weather, or cold water, is another problem that can make it difficult for the model (and me) when shooting.
8. What are the most essential elements of a successful nude shoot?
Trust, confidence, and feeling comfortable between the model and photographer are the most important. Without this, the model cannot give her best to the camera.
Clear ideas or inspiration also help so the model understands what the goal is for the shoot and can work to bring these to life.
9. What are some of your biggest challenges while shooting nude photography?
The biggest challenge in my work is to always get the best out of every model I shoot with. How you communicate with the model is so important, and even simple things like the words/terms you use can greatly impact building (or losing) the required trust.
On occasion, lighting can be challenging if I am trying to obtain a particular look, though this adds to my enjoyment during the shoot as I work to figure it out.
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10. What are some essential lighting techniques for nude photography?
I think the lighting needs to complement the body and showcase the shapes and curves. Controlling the direction of the light and playing with its contrast will define the look and feel of the image.
I often like to have the lighting to the side or even behind the model to help add dimension and shadow to the body, which I find artistically beautiful and pleasing to look at.
Using shadows to sculpt the body with light adds dimension and interest to the photo. Generally, the shadows are as important as the light illuminating the model.
11. What differentiates your style from others?
Another hard question to answer. I never try to copy or replicate what I see others doing. Perhaps this is why I follow very few photographers.
My style is all about what I like to see and what I want to create/capture. I’m sure some of this comes from images I see around me, but it is never a conscious choice to do so.
I like to use directional lighting (often with grids) and always look to showcase the body’s curves.
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12. Do you prefer black-and-white photos or colored ones? And why?
So many images look incredible in B&W, and whilst I absolutely love this style of image, my eye is drawn to skin color. Often, if I look at the same image in B&W and color, I am usually drawn to the color version more.
13 . What are your upcoming projects for 2023?
I am keen to try the Black Tape look, which I think is an interesting concept and one that can be very artistic and creative.
Another concept in mind is to shoot two models together wearing lingerie in the inner city, which I am sure will attract a crowd.
I really enjoy shooting bodyscapes, so there will be more of this during the year, I am sure.
Check out some of our amazing nude photography courses:
- Masterclass: Create Beautiful Bodyscapes With Ed Verosky
- The Complete Nude Boudoir Photography Course With Dan Hecho
- 12 Videos For Creating Stunning Fine Art Nude Photography
14. What advice would you give to models interested in nude photography?
My advice would be that becoming a nude model comes with its own particular challenges and concerns.
Ensuring your personal safety, having the confidence in yourself to shoot this genre, and understanding that your body will be out on the internet for everyone to see (family, employer/colleagues, friends, etc.).
Being confident to set your own standards and guidelines in what you will or won’t shoot are just some things to think about.
When all this is in place and the model finds respectable creatives to work with, the reward of being a part of creating beautiful imagery is amazing and very rewarding.
If I can also add some advice for photographers, it would be to ensure you maintain complete professionalism and show the utmost respect to every model you shoot with. Every model is a person with feelings, insecurities, and concerns.
To get the best out of the model, you need to understand this and help the model find their own safe inner space while allowing them to feel comfortable with you and confident in what they are doing.
The camera gear, lighting, etc., means nothing without being able to help the model achieve this.
The journey of Dave’s photography is truly helpful as experience counts a big time. His art is one of the finest in the nude photography genre. We are inspired by his perception towards this genre.
To learn more about Dave, click here.
