LUKAS DVORAK

THE INTERVIEW

Which place do you call home?

Prague , Czech Republic. The calmest city in the EU.

Are you self taught or schooled?

I studied myself, never had time to go to university.

How did you get into photography?

Before I started with photography, I experimented
with electronic music and my colleague asked me
to do a cover for his upcoming album.
He wanted pictures of himself.
I told him, that I had never used a camera before.
He said “Lukas, you do music, you can paint and
use graphic editors, you will definitely be
able to take photos. Thats how I started
and I am consumed by it since that day.

How long have you been a photographer?

10 years exactly

As you look through the viewfinder, what is
the most critical moment in capturing your image?

There is some kind of photographic orgasm,
it is the moment, when you just feel it in
all of your body, that is the right moment
to capture. It is hard to describe,
but it just works like that.

How would you describe your style?

My style is very much about capturing a woman
as beautiful as she is in a very calm and
simple image. I use some little ideas and
play with the location.
I shoot mostly in daylight.

What do you think makes a truly memorable photo?

It is a secret spice, I think it is a
combination of a lot of things leading
to something that was not seen before.
It is location, atmosphere, model,
emotion and idea.

We know each of us has someone or something
that inspires our life and work.
Can you tell us the true basis of your inspiration?

It is everyday life, people around me ,
everybody is giving me some kind of inspiration,
but most of my ideas are created in sleepless nights.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion is the most complicated thing right now.
It is a fast evolving business with a lot
of individuality. I am not sure, if fashion
is going the right way right now.
Everything is about the big companies like
H&M, Zara etc. , they deliver the cheap
stuff to everybody, which leads to the
moment when people take fashion as consumption.
You don’t admire what you wear,
you just wear it because it is cheap
and you are buying a lot of stuff every year.
That is not right. I am more for individuality
and buying more quality and less quantity.

What’s the craziest/funniest thing
that ever happened in one of your shoots?

Ohhh there are stories, you would need a full
magazine for that. The police was hunting me
and a nude model in a field in Italy.
I was walking with a crazy nude girl in the
city and the police didn’t stop us,
they said they would hold the lights.
Maybe the best story was, when I was shooting
in front of a ladies washroom and the cleaning
lady came screaming “what the hell are you
doing here in front of the ladies room?
I said , we are shooting here.
She said ” So go to the mens washroom.
We were shooting nudes in a full train
of people , that was a lot of fun.
Every shoot has its own funny story.

What photographers from the past or present
have influenced you the most?

I love Peter Lindbergh, Helmut Newton and Bruce Weber.
These guys are amazing and I have to learn a lot
to get closer to how good they are.

What has been your favorite photo location or session?

Portugal definitely, its an amazing place in EU.
The west side is without tourists because
the ocean is cold, giving you so much space to shoot.

What type of cameras do you shoot with?

I have Pentax 645Z, Nikon D800 and Sony A7r,
I change them depending on what I need.

If you had to choose one lens
which one would it be and why?

I am using 35-85mm lenses,
the best I like my 55mm on Sony,
such a crazy lens.

What is your favorite photography accessory,
other than your camera?

Lights I guess, I like to play with it
when im shooting fashion.

How important is Photoshop in your final images?

With nudes im not using photoshop for
retouching only for b/w conversion.
So there is very little of PS,
but with fashion I go and use it more,
but not so much around 20-30minutes on picture.

How important is a website and
social media for your business?

For me Instagram now is the best –
it is my new engine.
I am watching other photographers
and how good they are and am trying
hard to get to the same level.

I can see reactions on my work
and you need to know if your work
is good or not.

Do you listen to music while doing your shooting?
If so, what are you playing right now?

Of course, right now its Candlebox

What advice do you have for somebody
who wants to pursue photography?

Just fight every day, shoot and shoot
till the end of times,
everything else will come in time.

What lies ahead for you?

I bought a new flat in Prague,
it will take some time to reconstruct it.
Then I have planned to shoot a lot
of new nudes and publish it in some magazines.
In a few years I will try to publish a new book.

I also have to work on my fashion style,
which was on hold for a while.
I want to go to L. A. to work on new stuff
there as well.