No, this interview is not with the lead guitarist and founder of The Kinks, but rather photographer Dave Davies, who has shot everything from motor sports and fashion to artistic nudes.
This U.K. photog's work – his black-and-white images in particular – is simply gorgeous and ultra sexy, and the scenes he stages underwater are a wonderful and rare element in the genre. Davies definitely doesn't opt for the ordinary.
Showing diversity as an artist, he can capture the sleek lines of a woman or a Formula 1 racecar, both powerful machines to be sure. Davies has a knack for capturing the most genuine aspects of his subjects, allowing their sexuality and beauty to come to life in vivid color or exquisite black-and-white.
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Dave Davies: The simple answer would be that I capture images that provoke thought. I tend to prefer simplicity of subject and background. That goes for all the different types of work that I do. At various times I've shot pretty much all styles from commercial packaging and buildings to sports and reportage. I've never done weddings though; hopefully never will.
TD: Did you shoot auto racing before you started shooting beautiful women, or the reverse? And to follow, is there a connection between the two? It seems at first an unusual pairing, but I can see how both have sexy lines and powerful bodies.
DD: I started both almost at the same time, but I gave much more emphasis to the motor sport, as that was my real passion at the time. But over the years I discovered that I had an aptitude for shooting people, fashion, and nudes, so I went with that, too. I found that my sports photography allowed me to work fast and keep a momentum going in a studio or location shoot. The swooping lines of racecars do echo the curves of beautiful women, but the technique of shooting them could not be more different.
Motor sports requires you to stand 50 yards from your subject with a 500 millimeter lens that weighs more than 25 pounds and shoot cars going at speeds up to 250 miles per hour. It's kind of like shooting skeet with a rocket launcher.
Beautiful women are generally more compliant and take direction better. The equipment required is less bulky and the whole experience more relaxed. I have a few regular models that I've built a rapport with. That's important when getting to the right image. The model and photographer need to be completely relaxed and free of pressure to give the best results. I love to work with models who are imaginative, who can take your idea and add something new. That's when real magic happens.
TD: Your black-and-white photography is wonderful. What is it about shooting black-and-white that you like?
DD: Monochrome images give a timeless atmosphere to an image. Color is often a distraction from the subject. Black-and-white images give the emphasis to form; light and shade define shapes rather than hue. A single, simple idea is the key.
TD: Who are some of your influences as a photographer?
DD: My heroes of photography would be Henri Cartier-Bresson for his incredible eye; Helmut Newton for opening doors for the public acceptance of photographic nudes as art; and Ansel Adams for his dedication and pioneering darkroom magic. I also love the work of Manray for its imagination and explorations of the surreal.
TD: How long have you had an official Website?
DD: I started the current site two years ago but I've had images online here and there for the last 10 years.
TD: Being qualified to shoot underwater it seems you have great opportunities to capture some fascinating images. There's something inherently sexy about the naked body underwater.
DD: The texture of skin and the quality of light are completely different underwater. It gives a unique effect. The body and face are supported underwater so shapes are different, too. Clothing floats and drifts, bubbles and reflections add interest. The way that light passes through a rippled surface gives a marbled effect on the skin that is quite remarkable.
TD: What if any, are the problems that can arise while shooting underwater?
DD: Enclosures leak and equipment gets wet and full of sand. Models get cold and tired. Communication with the model can be difficult or impossible. Light falls off very quickly as you get deeper so you need to bring your own. The color of available light underwater becomes bluer as you descend. Models need to be qualified divers so they can work and be confident underwater.
TD: It appears you like to shoot outdoors. Why is this? Is it the natural light, the openness?
DD: I prefer natural or available light if possible. It gives a more real and natural result. Being in the open air gives inspiration to model and photographer. When I'm traveling I can't pass a beautiful background without imagining a gorgeous model in the foreground. Nature provides us with beauty in landscape light and the curves of the human body. The less technology you add to that, the better.
TD: Do you spend a lot of time devising your shoots or do you like to just get out there with the model and work spontaneously?
DD: Usually about 40 percent planned and 60 percent spontaneous. But I don't ever plan in too much detail. I like to start with a small idea and grow it with the model and the environment.
TD: What are some goals you have yet to achieve as an artist?
DD: I have had published calendars and posters, but never a book of my own. That is my next major project. At the moment I'm working in the Goth/fetish scene and developing a set of fetish/erotic images that are a complete departure from anything I have done before. It's an exiting movement and the people are all so enthusiastic. I've made lots of new friends in the last year or so I've been involved with it, particularly within The Guild of Erotic Artists that I joined two years ago. In my underwater work, I would love to shoot in a large-scale underwater studio. So far I've been using small pools and open water. I would love the chance to create some of my larger ideas.
