During our chat on The Camera Life, Brent Lukey discussed his journey as a visual creative. Brent’s background is in documentary, wedding photography, and filmmaking - before the world went digital. He believes that if he still had to work with film these days, he would no longer be involved in the craft.
Brent loved shooting with film, being present and mindful, and getting the shot right at the moment. However, he didn’t like the post-production process and lack of control over the final images. He found the switch to digital an enjoyable process that elevated his involvement in the end-to-end photography process. Brent works out of a Melbourne (Australia) studio and focuses on his art and portrait practices. Brent explained that his studio space is further supported by Creative Space and the City of Melbourne. As a result, he is close to the city's heart and able to explore and pursue his street photography freely.
Brent’s weapon of choice for portrait work is the Nikon D850. He loves everything about the camera, especially using an optical viewfinder in the studio. The D850 culminated all the engineering that went into DSLR technology at the time. For most of his work, he uses a Nikon 58mm f/1.4 lens for his portraiture work so that he is close to his subjects and able to connect with them. Brent calls it false intimacy, but it is a level of trust and intimacy that elevates the process, experience, and outcomes. Brent also uses a 17-30mm f/2.8 and a 70-200mm f/4 for various genres and jobs. For lighting, Brent owns a pair of Bowens 400 speedlights; however, he finds that he only uses one light for portraiture. Brent chases the light for his street photography with a Fujifilm X-Pro 2 - arguably one of the finest digital street-style cameras. Brent pairs his X-Pro 2 with the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 compact prime - it’s also Greg’s favorite lens for street work.
Brent’s approach to his professional work was to simply be a photographer and not run a business where he was detached from the processes and end outcome. Even during his time as a wedding photographer, Brent found the need to see what worked and what didn’t - rather than relying on an editor. He has also discovered that if you look at a shoot or the images too early, you’re still in the mindset of a technical photographer. By approaching your shoot later, you can pull back from the process and study the impact of the image upon the viewer. In his experience, he has also found that getting input from respected peers improves the outcome.
As a portrait photographer, Brent wants to create unique and interesting images. Rather than standard corporate headshots, his images offer a little mystery and uniqueness to hold someone’s attention for more than a moment. As a result, he often photographs other creative people who are expressive and mindful. Brent finds that to get the best portrait outcomes; the photographer must develop an incredible amount of sensitivity towards the subject and their story. As a street photographer, Brent loves to get back to basics and use the environment to help create the story. He has found that his street work has attracted large corporate clients. He likes the observational element of the craft; however, he is aware of how to approach the street without being a creep.
During The Camera Life, we talked about the impact of AI on photography and professional creatives with tools like AI-culling of volume work. Brent is process-driven and prefers to make decisions rather than allow an AI-based or automated system to tell him what images he should and shouldn’t keep. That said, he feels that, in time, AI will improve photography, as photographers will stand out for their authenticity compared to the mass of AI-generated or enhanced images. If anything, genuine photography will become a premium service and skill set to which clients and brands will be drawn. It will be the brands that elevate the craft as they tire of AI-generated content and seek images that offer an authentic connection to their product. What’s most admirable about Brent’s approach to the changes in image-making is his view that AI will be what it will be, but photography will endure.
If you’re unfamiliar with The Camera Life Podcast, be sure to take a look at our YouTube channel for the latest episodes and, of course, our back catalog of weekly shows. Our shows are also available on popular audio podcast platforms. If you like what you see, please give us a thumbs up, subscribe to The Camera Life, and click on the bell icon to receive notifications of upcoming shows. We host two shows weekly, the first being every Thursday at 9am AEDT (Australia), where we interview guests like Brent. The second show, The Random Photography Show, airs every Monday at 7:30 pm AEDT. The Random Photography show is a little random, a little loose, and a lot of fun! Be sure to check them out.
Website: https://www.brentlukey.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brentlukey
