Shadows Within:
Luca Varano
HeyBoy Exclusive
Shadows Within:
Luca Varano
HeyBoy Exclusive
Photographer: Luca Varano
USA
INTERVIEW
HeyBoy Exclusive
*Contains Mature Content
In “Shadows Within,” we step into the intimate universe of Luca Varano, where each photograph is a delicate dance of light and shadow, echoing the depths of LGBTQ identity. Varano’s lens is not just a tool but a portal, inviting us to explore the nuanced landscapes of the male form and the rich tapestry of queer experiences.
Through his art, Varano challenges us to see beyond the surface, to delve into the intricate stories woven into each frame. His work is a celebration of vulnerability and strength, a testament to the resilience and beauty of the LGBTQ community.
As you immerse yourself in this editorial, let Varano’s images stir your emotions and ignite your imagination. “Shadows Within” is more than a collection of photographs; it is an invitation to journey through the shadows, to discover the light that shines within.
In “Shadows Within,” we step into the intimate universe of Luca Varano, where each photograph is a delicate dance of light and shadow, echoing the depths of LGBTQ identity. Varano’s lens is not just a tool but a portal, inviting us to explore the nuanced landscapes of the male form and the rich tapestry of queer experiences.
Through his art, Varano challenges us to see beyond the surface, to delve into the intricate stories woven into each frame. His work is a celebration of vulnerability and strength, a testament to the resilience and beauty of the LGBTQ community.
As you immerse yourself in this editorial, let Varano’s images stir your emotions and ignite your imagination. “Shadows Within” is more than a collection of photographs; it is an invitation to journey through the shadows, to discover the light that shines within.
Q) Can you share your journey into photography and what drew you to focus specifically on the male form and LGBTQ themes?
A) Well it all started by documenting the people around me, and as a gay person I inherently surround myself with other gay/queer people. In my more recent work I’ve been more interested in the ideas of a queer landscape and looking at places where gay men specifically have come together. A lot of my other work focuses on abstracting the body and itf form as well as motion studies of the body with its movements
Q) Travel seems to be a significant part of your work. How do different cultures and locations influence your creative process?
A) Well in my more recent work I talked about above I’ve been investigating and looking into history gay places and cruising locations where gay men would meet for sex. So I use travel as an opportunity to document a wide variety of these types of places so that I’m able to get a greater understanding of these gay experiences. Then for some of my other work more focused in the studio, the absence of location to allow all attention to focus on the form.
Q) How do you see your work evolving in the next few years? Are there new themes or mediums you’re eager to explore?
A) What I’m thinking alot about for the future is understanding the best forms of installations to show my work. I’ve been experimenting with ways to install my photography within a space that compliments but doesn’t distract from the work. I’ve been focusing a lot on wanting to make my work as accessible as possible.
Q) Can you share an instance or experience that sparked a significant project or a shift in your artistic approach
A) Most of my work used to be fashion photography but I wasn’t satisfied. I still do work in fashion but now I tailor my work to brands that follow similar themes to my personal projects. Separating from a corporate work helped me a lot with understanding my fine art practice.
Q) Your work embraces themes that can be controversial. How do you balance artistic expression with the potential for public scrutiny or backlash?
A) I am making nude gay work about sex it is inherently controversial, my existence as a queer person is. My art wouldn’t be my art if I let scrutiny and not constructive criticism take over my life. As a gay person I’ve dealt with negative things all my life; it’s just part of our existence.
Q) What challenges have you faced in your photography journey, and how have you overcome them?
A) Finding the proper people to build work with is difficult, it takes time to build trust and share ideas, learn about each other. The model’s connection to the work helps make it grow and helps make it stronger. Having time to make work is the most difficult thing, everyone wants new things very fast, but building good work takes time. Especially when you want to show a connection between who you are documenting.
Q) What moments or achievements in your career have been the most rewarding or affirming for you?
A) Being able to be in a place in my life where I can create the work I love about the topic I wanna talk about is so valuable and I am incredibly grateful to be able to do it.
Q) How do you build trust and rapport with your subjects, especially when dealing with vulnerable or intimate themes?
A) I tend to build relationships with the same models pretty consistently, I think growing that relationship is very important. Also taking the time to make your space a positive and free environment, setting up trust to help you disarm the camera’s presence. The camera by its design removes eye contact and hides your face. It really takes away a lot of key features of good comunitcation, it’s important to work past that
Q) You often use cameras like the Mamiya 6 and the Mamiya 7 with film types such as Delta 400 and Portra 400. What is it about these specific cameras and film types that you find compelling?
A) At this moment in my art making, I find medium format to be the ideal choice—a perfect balance offering the freedom to capture spontaneous moments while maintaining a compact form. It allows me to avoid the traditional limitations inherent in large format photography, yet provides more detailed information compared to the constraints of 35mm photography.
The Mamiya 6 & 7 cameras both fit my requirements I look for in my equipment. The only big differences between the two being one shoots a square crop and one 6cm x 7cm. I enjoy the mixture of the square frame and 6×7 frame within a body of work.
I do shoot digital but i find that with working with digital photos you have to work harder in post processing in order to have the image feel like a “real” photograph, they tend to need the life to be brought back into them in post processing. Film is just filled with life and also directs you to be more selective in the moment.
the film type itself its also just about preference, i feel like it’s pretty agreed upon that portra film is some of the best color film but my choose in ilford delta film versus tri-x is i like a low contrast film i rather add it in later than not be able to take it away.
Q) In what ways has your work been a mirror to your own journey or a conduit for self-exploration?
A) I feel most artists make work as a reflection of some aspect of their life. I used photography to work through questions about myself and about the world. Reflecting back on my life to understand the moments and experiences I’ve had and using it to document my life now and what’s happening within it
Q) Could you share a funny or unexpected behind-the-scenes story from one of your photo shoots?
A) Once me and my friend Justin, we drove over from Vermont to New Hampshire to look for some shooting locations, and we didn’t know until leaving he had been running and climbing naked all over some active hunting land. Lucky to not have gotten shot while taking the photos but the images did come out beautiful.
Q) Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to mention or any special projects or insights you’d like to share with our audience that we haven’t covered yet?
A) My thesis on gay landscapes will be done with its first part in May, and I’m always continuing a multitude of projects at once. My instagram is the best way to keep updated with my work.