Dasha Soundarya is a playful, feminine photographer who loves being in nature and is inspired by other women. She facilitates Tantric women’s groups, and believes that photography is one of the best ways to help women recognise their own divine beauty.

How do you chose your models?

I naturally do not have to choose the models, because in the projects I work on, any daring and open woman can participate. The most important choice is what we tune in to together when we work and what we can create together.

What are some qualities you appreciate in a model?

I really admire the capacity to let go of the mind, relax, dissolve any preconceived ideas and tune in with her essence.
It helps a lot when a woman knows herself and knows that her beauty belongs to Divinity and she is just sharing it in front of the camera.
Because for me every woman, without exception, is divinely beautiful.

Tell us about the difference between a sexy model and an erotic model

I would call a model erotic when, through the state of fascination, mystery and incredible sensuality she silently awakens your heart, she often stops your mind and leaves you in the state of awe. It is very erotic when she simultaneously makes you feel very enlivened and enthusiastic; like singing, dancing, playing.

The goal of a sexy model often is to awaken instinctual desires, she is almost saying “want me”, “hunt me”, “crave me” and it works and people do, but does not uplift them.

If you pay attention – you will see the difference – she invites you to have sex with her or to make love with her, and there is a big difference between those two.

The Porn Industry nowadays is incredibly dangerous, because it becomes more and more violent. A far cry from innocent 80’s what we now see is that porn movies need to include more and more bizarre extremes, degradation and fetish to be interesting. The message for the public is that it’s pretty normal for your lover to experience some kind of pain in bed.

How do you feel behind the camera?

My background is in documentary photography so it was not easy at all to start taking photos of nude women and I would never have thought that erotic artistic photography would be my chosen genre.

The turning point was when I realised naturally that it’s not actually me who’s doing the work. The photographer needs to connect to the Universal force, where all the Beauty and inspiration is coming from, and just be the transparent lens through which the magic unfolds. Up until today I can not explain or do it at will, it but every time it happens, when I become a channel for that force, I am endlessly grateful. Because this experience is incomparable – you get the chance to look at the woman through the viewfinder the way the Creator does, and she becomes more an more enchanting.

I notice that, when this happens, everything around: the nature, lighting, atmosphere, the people you work with will all synchronize to tune in with this magnificent process.

What’s your personal experience of Tantra?

When I was 16, I began to search for a deeper meaning in life. After almost becoming a nun, I started looking for a path which would “marry” two of the strongest forces I discovered in me (which were pulling me apart back than): eroticism and the longing for God. When I was teenager, I had an intuition that it existed. Then, after 10 years of searching, I was lucky enough to find a school of authentic Tantric teachings, which is rooted in Kashmir Shaivism. Since then I’ve had many profound and ecstatic states which combine my love of Eros with my search for a higher truth.

What inspires you?

The sacred text Sundarya Lahari (or ‘The Ocean of Divine Beauty’) is one of my inspirations at the moment.

Another inspiration would be music. “The heart of space” (HOS) is by far my most favourite radio station, offering thousands of collections of soulful music, bringing me to another world.

Some pieces of art by inspired artists; I love the Renaissance period and get a lot of inspiration from their portrayal of nudity. Also the appreciation of the beauty of mother nature herself makes me feel awakened erotically and ready to shoot!