AM /Photographer, Visual Artist, Art Director, Filmmaker, writer. . Which is your drive for a such crazy creativity?

Good question, I guess my drive is that I just love to create.  I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil my parents told me,and it was the main medium I loved growing up.

I used to take comic cards and then scale them and draw them on huge poster size paper using a grid-technique. Fast-forward to being a teenager and getting my first computer (Apple One) in the last 90’s and I fell in love with graphic design and web design as well as 2d-computer animation in websites. 

That kinda lead me into the job I did during my 20’s, which was a technical illustrator and then later a design engineer.  During my 20’s a I tried a lot of different creative outlets and mediums like fashion design, print making, jewelry design and then stumbled upon photography where I fell in love and

finally felt like I found a creative medium that I could wake up every day excited and obsessed with and I have been doing it ever since. 

Everything I do now revolves around it.  When I first started I shot nightlife, I would literally go out every night and shoot my friends parties (they were DJ’s) around Dallas where I lived at the time, and practice all kinds of techniques or creative shooting no one else was doing at the time. 

Eventually it got noticed and the W Hotel and Ghostbar in Dallas hired me to shoot their big events like the Superbowl after parties, NBA all star game parties and random exclusive parties they would throw with big DJ’s or musicians.  I shot Common, Micky Avalon, Steve Aoki, LMFAO, etc. there. 

Then I got noticed by Steve Aoki around 2013 and moved to Los Angeles to shoot for him and Dim Mak, his label. 

I did that for a little over a year, as well as shooting for some big festivals like EDC Vegas, HARD LA, Lights All Night, and others. 

At some point I was growing beyond what I was doing which lead me to want to create something bigger then myself and more wide ranging in the art industry, and so I started NAKID.  Which opened my eyes to more creativity in filmmaking, art direction and writing. The rest is history..

 

AM/I am really curious about your criteria for the models that u are shooting..any special?

I don’t really have any criteria.  If it is a personal project for myself or something I am shooting for a magazine or NAKID then typically I like to work with models that have a unique look and are experienced in knowing how to move and shape their bodies.  I like awkward and creative poses, using different surroundings and light.

So I focus on trying to work with models that have that ability and don’t need constant direction and that exude confidence, because it definitely shows in the work when shooting.  Other than that, I like to work with models that are not afraid of nudity or using it creatively to capture authentic sensual work. 

I am not into the trashy porn-addicted look that is currently in style, i.e. Instagram/etc., but more Helmut Newton, Paolo Roversi, Nan Goldin; very high fashion nude work but in my style.

 

AM/Your artwork has a taste of analog romanticism and wilderness around woman's sensual/sexual nature.What the Woman symbolizes for u?

Women symbolize a natural emotional connection to life and inspiration within critical human thinking.  Because we are human, there is a natural tendency to feel a sense of curiosity with the human body and attractive infatuation with the opposite sex, especially women.  The human body is arguably the most fascinating creation in all the universe (that we know so far). It has the ability for critical thinking, logic, emotional intelligence, creativity,

fundamental change and the power to enrich not just the environment we live in but the ability to empower and support living things around us for the better.  It can also be said we can do some horrible shit too, and have for most of our existence, but I think every species with these abilities in the universe must go through similar growth and evolution towards enlightenment at some stage and I think we are starting to enter ours now, even if it doesn’t presently seem that way. 

Women encapsulate that growth because they are the gate keepers to life and for the most part our learning.

I know things have changed the last few years about how people view gender, but I am purely speaking to our overall history as humans, not present times.  Women are inspiring, and have the ability to inspire great things within our society.  I wish we had more women leaders to be honest.

 

AM/Art & Fashion..How are they related,connected and fused in your work?

Well Fashion is an art form, it gives you the ability to not only cloth yourself in various ways but show your identity and creativity without even being creative or saying a word.  It is our way of carrying ourselves in life and making our journey through the world a creative statement to everyone that this is me, this is what I love and how I want the world to see me. Fashion for a long time was not inclusive, for one reason or another. 

Whether it be because of cost, status, or fundamental lack of diversity in the industry.  But I am happy to see it growing beyond the sickness it held on to for years; demeaning women, elevating men into misogynist positions of power, degrading the LGBTQ+ industry and shying away from taking bold steps to grow beyond it’s vary narrow minded views of what is beautiful.  It has a long way to go but it has come a long way recently in a short time if you think about it.  Hopefully we keep it going!

 

AM/From the new international photographers which one is your favourite or you love his/her work?

My top photographers that inspire me are Paolo Roversi, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Guy Bourdin and Mario Testino. 

That’s not to say I don’t love others like Perter Lindbergh, Nan Goldin, Ryan McGinley, Juergen Teller, etc.,

but I love to seek old school high fashion editorial photographers that used the camera and model in ways that was never done before, capturing life in a way that changes how to see things and inspires you to wanna go create.  Those photographers do that for me.

 

AM?NAKIDis already an active legend of international art community, a signature of free expression and creativity with global impact. How do uimagine the NAKID community to be in the near future?

Wow, thank you so much!  Well, I think if it just stays true to what we have always been about, which is to help artists get their work out there and showcased

and to believe in finding artists that deserve to be seen and experienced regardless of how well known they are, then the possibilities are endless. 

 

AM/Which Art you consider important as a source of inspiration for your work?

I am an extremely visual person, so for me I am really into collecting photography books and magazines.  Everything from old Lui and Playboy magazines to Purple & Bullet Magazine which are two of my favorites.  I have an entire library’s worth of photo books and

magazines that I love rummaging through when coming up with shoot ideas or new layouts for editorials.  I also love taking walks to clear my head and just be outside in nature, in fresh air. 

My favorite time to walk is the twilight golden hour at the end of the day.  It’s just relaxing and that energy of walking and being outside can really help you think and get inspired.

 

AM/What happens in your mind during a shooting/filming?

Well, a lot frankly, haha.  I am very high-energy when it comes to working/shoots.  I usually have several ideas going on at once and portraying that to different team members I am working with as well as creating across different types of tools.  I often shoot with several different types of cameras; a digital mirrorless camera (Fuji XT-4), various polaroid cameras and land cameras, rangefinder 35mm cameras and 120mm medium format cameras. 

I have an amazing Rolleiflex 2.8 twin reflex I love using that has this anomolly where it always over shoots on the next frames to images are always double exposed, it makes for some awesome creative shots if you are mindful of it.  Film is my passion, I probably have 5 rolls sitting on my desk right now I need to develop, haha. 

With all that going on, it can be easy to get lost in everything especially when I also shoot with some many different technique and creative filters and glass to create effects in the shot – I don’t like using photoshop, I am old school like that. So I storyboard my shoots as best as possible to make sure I get everything I want for that particular shoot. 

It can be chaotic, but in a good way.

 

AM/Tell me few things about your next plans, projects or wannado things.

Right now I am in the middle of designing our next seasonal issue for NAKID, ISSUE 12. We are working on our next iterations of our underground party, BAD CLVB, that’s going to be in Cincinnati and Dallas in September/October.  We are also working on our next huge NAKID HOUSE event that info will drop soon about and we are also working on a secret NFT project that’s gonna be killer and a whole new creative marketplace for NAKID.

We also just launched a podcast called LETS GET NAKID that’s on all major platforms where we interview and shoot the shit with tons of artists, entrepreneurs, brands, music artists and more discussing their careers, random topics, current events and just hilarious stories.

Personally I am working on new NFT photo-series’, as well as a new photo book called refracted. I am also writing a few short films I am gonna film this Fall and Winter that are pretty amazing that I can’t wait to show.

Cheers!

Dustin Hollywood - Photographer / Creative Director / Filmmaker

/ Founder NAKID Magazine

 

AM/Thanks so much ! My pleasure to speak with you !