dave blake

About

Dave Blake

Photographer & Creative Director

Portrait of Dave Blake during fashion week production

I’m a photographer and creative director based in Teneriffe, Brisbane. I work across fashion, beauty, swimwear and portraits, with most commissions in Brisbane and Byron Bay and selected projects in Sydney and further afield.

Over more than ten years, my work has taken me across Australia, New York and Paris. Whether I’m working with a brand, an artist or a model building a portfolio, I’m drawn to photographs with a sense of the person in them.

The way I work

I like photographs that feel natural and personal. I pay attention to expression, movement and the small gestures that make someone themselves. Often the strongest images happen in the in-between moments.

As a creative director, I help shape the idea and visual direction of a shoot, bringing together the setting, styling and mood. On set, I give clear direction while leaving room for something unplanned to happen.

Dave Blake relaxing on location with a camera in his hands, surrounded by greenery Black-and-white photograph of Dave Blake taking a tea break beside studio backdrops and lighting stands Black-and-white behind-the-scenes photograph of a camera and drink on a chair beside lighting equipment at Australian Fashion Week
A glimpse behind the scenes.

How I got here

I grew up in remote Australia. I didn’t wear shoes until I was twelve, and had an accent to match. Before photography, I spent a hazy decade as a computer programmer and sold my dream car to make the leap.

I’ve lived in London, Vancouver and New York, and travelled to every continent except Antarctica. I also lived in Byron Bay for many years; it still feels like part of home.

A period of serious illness brought me back to Australia and changed my pace and priorities. Alongside photography, I’m completing a Bachelor of Health Science, with a long-term focus on helping others heal. Cooking and an organic, grounded life are part of that story too. They help me bring a calm, present way of working to a shoot.

Selected clients

Coach, Redken, Adidas, R.M. Williams, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, GrittyPretty, Aje, Bassike, Acler, Porsche, David Yurman.

Agency experience

My model testing and editorial work includes experience with models from agencies in New York, Paris and Australia:

  • New York: IMG, The Society, Elite, NEXT, Wilhelmina, Ford, New York Model Management.
  • Paris: IMG, Ford, Cover, Premium, The Face.
  • Australia: IMG, Viviens, CHIC / Scoop, Priscillas, Kult.

Ways to work together

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