“You know that place between sleep and awake, that place where you still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you." -J.M. Barrie One of my longest, dearest friends, Aaron, recently celebrated his 24th birthday. This may be a little late but once I had the idea it took me a few days to put it together...
Aaron is a brilliant dancer. He oozes with so much talent and natural ability. I remember being very young and we were in a rehearsal when the choreographer asked him to do a jump in a la seconde (second position in ballet terms.) I watched him levitate with grace and ease and it seemed as though he hovered in the air just waiting to be told to come down. As time went on and he grew and matured in his artistry and technique, more power and strength filled his movement, especially the jumps and leaps. Jumps in second became his signature move. The flexibility and height he obtains takes my breath away. When my passion for photography was unleashed 7 years ago, Aaron was one of the first of my dance friends I photographed and the a la seconde leap has made an appearance at least once in every photoshoot we've done together. Changing up the arm placement is our favorite challenge! So to wish Aaron the HAPPIEST BELATED 24TH BDAY, here are 24 of Aaron's a la seconde portraits from our sessions over the years. I love you, King. More than I could ever say.
0 Comments
I was on the A train headed downtown about three weeks ago when I see a post on Facebook from Omar Robles, one of my favorite dance photographers that I follow on social media. As an Official FujiFilm X-Photographer he would be hosting a "Dance InstaMeet." The first 30 photographers to sign up would have the opportunity of observing Omar photographing dancers and shoot along side him.
I'm reading this on the train and I'm freaking out- I HAVE TO BE A PART OF THIS! I notice that Omar had posted it 45 minutes earlier. "I hope the event isn't already full yet," I think to myself. Despite the spotty cell signal I had going through different subway stations, everything miraculously worked as I signed up and got accept for the InstaMeet! Wohoo!!! Words cannot describe how excited I am to have been a part of this meet. Ever since I discovered Omar's work, I've become such a huge admirer of his. I'm constantly in awe of his use of light and shade, shapes, reflection, and perspective. He has such a distinct style, and I draw so much inspiration in my work from his images. Getting to meet Omar and learn from him at this InstaMeet was an extreme pleasure and education. If I were to name off every little piece of knowledge I gained from him that day this would be long (longer than it already is) however, I will share my favorite; (To paraphrase) "Never give your dancers poses. Give them movement. When you give them a pose it creates a stagnant image, but if you think of a movement it will create the same energy and expression they project when they are performing." It was a day I'll not soon forget. Much thanks and gratitude to Omar, FujiFilm, and our beautiful dancing models, Eriko Sugimura and Eric Lehn. "Beyond the Fog Lies Clarity." -Anonymous I've known Max for as long as I can remember and we've been best friends pretty much from the beginning. Not only is he a crazy talented dancer, but also a fiercely loyal friend. Growing up, Max was always the funny kid. When he told me he wanted to be a ballet dancer I thought he was joking. I always thought he was going to be an actor or a comedian when he grew up. But he proved me wrong and worked his butt off to become such an incredible dancer and technician.
Every time I see him dance he is stronger, more disciplined, and grows in his artistry. So proud of who he's become as a dancer and a person. He is currently in between seasons with Carolina Ballet and spent a couple of weeks this summer visiting NYC. It had been few years since our last photo shoot so I was excited to photograph him in front of the skyline at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. I loved the way the blue and grey hues of his clothing blended into the skyline. Here's the final product of our collaboration! (Gushy romantic post ahead. You've been warned.) I'm a big romantic so when I got an email from Jack wanting to hire me to photograph his surprise Central Park proposal to his girlfriend, Lauren, I couldn't have been more excited! They are both originally from Oklahoma and Lauren is an accomplished dancer (she was Miss Oklahoma in 2012) whom over the last week was here in NYC with her parents attending the Rockette Summer Intensive. She had no idea that Jack and both of their families were flying up to NYC at the end of her trip.
During the planning process I asked Jack if there was a certain place in the park he wanted to pop the question. He said that it really didn't need to be an iconic spot or somewhere super secluded, "One day we'll be moving up here for Lauren to pursue her dreams and I just want us to have a spot in the park that we can call our own." Isn't that just the sweetest?! Well the day of the proposal came and light showers were on the forecast, but as luck would have the clouds parted and the sun shined down just in time for Lauren's arrival in the park. Her parents were of course in on the whole thing and told her they wanted to "take a stroll through the park" before heading to dinner. She gasped in confusion and excitement when she saw Jack at the end of her path. He led her down to the grassy spot we had picked out with the the pond, bridge and city view as their backdrop, got down on one knee, and asked Lauren to be his wife. Many people in the park stopped to watch the scene unfold and burst into applause when the ring slid on her finger. And the surprises for Lauren continued as Jack revealed their families cheering for them atop the hill. Now I may or may not have shed a tear... it was just such a beautiful thing to witness. As I photographed the newly engaged couple, I couldn't help but think about all the photos that will be taken of them in the future- wedding, honeymoon, holidays, anniversaries! I love telling stories through photos and I'm honored to have played a role in their story. Congrats to Jack and Lauren on finding their spot in the park! Last Fall I photographed some fun Fall and Winter Fashion for Torly Kid. Since then I'm happy to say that my relationship with this adorable Tribeca Kid's Clothing boutique has only grown! During last year's shoot it was a very cool, windy day and I remember the kids and I shivering our way through the shoot. This time around, the sun was out and the and we were ready to play!
The four tween girls I photographed were adorable and so much fun. These best friends were excited to have one last hurrah together before one of them moves away during the Summer. I felt honored to capture their sweet friendship on camera and to create some special photo memories for them. From the 4th of July outfits to the crazy leggings and tanks, the girls were stylin' in the summer wear! Always a pleasure collaborating with Carol Adams, who always does such a great job at knowing exactly what the kids these days will love . Enjoy these fun portraits and get your Torly Kid fashion today!! |
Meet Caitlin!Loves: my husband, golden age movie musicals, red lipstick, fall leaves, rainy mornings, dressing up, jazz music, yellow tulips, tap dancing, and taking your photos (yes YOU!) Archives
June 2020
Categories
All
|