Lukas Beck

Lukas Beck is an Austrian photographer who specialises in music and theatre. He has contributed to virtually all Austrian newspapers and magazines, as well as international papers, such as Die Zeit or The New York Times.

Beck was born in 1967, and educated at the University of Vienna, where he read ethnology. His pictures, in a style all of their own, show a keen eye for detail, colour and light. His work has been shown in Vienna's Leopold Museum, the Westlicht Gallery and the Palais Coburg. Beck has published photo books on various subjects, and has created CD covers and posters. His work has had a deep impact on Austrian photography.

Beck's main focus is man and human nature. His often stunning colour portraits reveal a deep compassion and fondness for his subjects. He has portrayed, among others, musicians Willi Resetarits, Hans Söllner, actors Dennis Hopper, Christopher Lee, singers Elina Garanca and Edita Gruberova, crime novelist Wolf Haas and a number of Austrian and international high-profile politicians, such as Mohamed ElBaradei.

In 1999, Beck was hired by the Vienna Boys' Choir to help change the choir's image; his unusual photos show the boys as living, breathing youngsters and display an unbridled sense of fun. In 2004, Beck published a photo book on the famous Austrian choir. Since 2003, he has been teaching photography at the ORF (=Austrian National Radio) summer academy.