As a member of many photography communities and co-host of The Camera Life podcast, I love discovering the diverse genres that peers and guests pursue. While I often refer to myself as a street and travel photographer (not that I travel much anymore), I’ve shot a lot of other genres in my years. Weddings, parties, anything! (That was a terrible attempt to insert a musical pun into an article about a live music photographer. I apologise!)
Just recently, I took up macro photography and now spend my days walking around with my head down looking for bugs! It’s a blessed life. Justin (Lucky Straps Founder) ran a highly successful wedding photography business with Jim (Lucky Straps Customer Experience) for over a decade. Now, Justin is pursuing other genres, including action sports, mountain biking, and commercial work. As for Jim, he still shoots weddings but has also branched out to build a boudoir photography brand. I believe that curating a diverse portfolio by tackling new genres is a surefire way to elevate your overall photography skills, experience, and understanding of visual language and image-making.
Lucas Packett is one of those photographers who has built his career, brand, and image collection by tackling diverse, often polarising genres. Lucas's core passion is the live music scene, and he has spent years building a reputation and approach for attending and documenting some of the nation’s most significant music events. He has photographed big names and small - from Slash, Sting, and Post Malone to local acts including Midnight Oil, Suzi DeMarchi, and Dallas Frasca. Lucas has attended countless festivals and big stadium gigs, standing in the pit to document the power and passion of every performance. Despite the technical challenges of capturing dynamic energy in such low-light conditions, his images freeze a moment in time that showcases the emotional drive and physical output rarely witnessed outside a live music event. It was great chatting to Lucas about his work while past guests and live music shooters Lucinda Goodwin and Shane Henderson were in the live chat! And while Lucas’ live music work is mesmerising and a timeless record of Australia’s live music scene, it’s not the only genre he excels at!
Lucas Packett is what I like to call a Jack of many trades! Browsing his website or Instagram feed will tell the tale of a true documentarian. His folio of images includes landscape, wildlife, portraiture, aerial drone photography, live music, and a compelling collection of photojournalistic captures. As a Melbourne-based photographer, Lucas has the opportunity to document critical events, protests, and even conflict. As a country that values freedom and (mostly) supports diverse views, we’ve always had countless protests here in Melbourne, Australia. Some of the most potent images in Lucas’ collection are those shot during the COVID lockdown protests. Melbourne endured 263 days of lockdown during the global pandemic - the highest lockdown rate globally! It was a horrible time to be a Melbournian and, as a result of government restrictions and ruthless enforcement, tempers flared, people became fearful, and society fractured. Protests grew louder and more violent, and before long, the police presence amplified and expanded to quell the unrest and restore order. Lucas’s images recount those days in haunting detail with telling images of protestors standing against full riot squads and heavily armed officers. It’s a chilling reminder of the suffering our society endured.
“My art is the documentation of these temporal moments, where, for a transient split second, I can choose to engage myself completely into what is transpiring before me. It’s the process of waiting, watching and acting. This then takes me on a journey into the soul of my subject to capture a unique connection, however close or detached, becoming a memory trigger for time immemorial.” - Lucas Packett.
It was such a treat to talk shop with Lucas and unpack his story and discover the countless stories and experiences he has lived and photographed. Through the diversity of his image-making, Lucas Packett’s work juxtaposes the joys of creative freedom (live music performances) with hope-crushing oppression (government-enforced lockdowns and law-enforcement power plays). His live music images celebrate freedom, movement, musical expression, and artistic joy. The flip side, his pictures of protest and conflict, show rigidity, anger, and an unrelenting force determined to control the outcome. To his credit, Lucas’s portrait work is equally compelling and tells the individual stories of unique folk. It’s fair to say that Lucas has an eye for timing and capturing the light at pivotal times, regardless of the genre in question. I believe it shows the value in exploring multiple genres. Despite the clear delineation between Lucas’ genres, there’s an undeniable link in the quality and approach of his work. One genre feeds the other through his experiences and application of his craft.
“When people see my work, I’d like them to feel that moment of shared emotion, intensity and experience.” - Lucas Packet.
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 catalogue 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 amazing guests. 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.
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