Art In Motion - Part Two
Dance is a powerful and influential impulse. But the art of dance is one that channels through skillful performers like my friend and client Alisha Peek – one that steps beyond just structured motion and translates into something that becomes intensely expressive. As a Washington DC Wedding & Portrait Photographer who has worked with this amazing Alvin Ailey Dancer, I deeply understand that the two timeless concepts of the art of dance go hand in hand. And in the world of art in motion, neither can exist without the other.
Capturing this raw excitement and emotion of this art form down to the hundredth of a second never gets old. Abstracting ideas about movement via different lighting to accentuate specific aspects of the body or positions, leveraging high-contrast lighting to highlight suspenseful drama to illuminate ethereal silhouettes with lighting to isolate the progressions of the movements. Couple that with the exceptional skill of Alisha Peek and creative cues inspiration stemming from world-famous photographer Peter Lindbergh, and it all equates to stunning, poetic statements carefully channeled through the lens.
Like any photograph you see, a dance image represents an isolated split-second in time but holds a specific intention to truly and enrichingly convey the idea of movement. As a Washington DC Wedding and Portrait Photographer who also wears the hat of a Director, this is a notion that I revolve my entire photographic system around. Because even with the skill and beauty of the subject who holds the same shared vision as I do, it's all about capturing the right moment at the right time. Of course, while also using the right settings. And you best bet that this means I must choose every moment wisely to get the best image every time. Although not always easy, but very much worth it!
I feel both fortunate and honored to hold an ongoing opportunity to capture the talented Alisha in motion. From the swings of the body to the passionate expressions, it's always an exhilarating experience to freeze these movements in such a way that showcases the true artistic grace of dancers that just can't be conveyed through words alone.
In the end, I believe that dance photography, this art in motion, is one of the most important art forms, as it captures the beauty of the human body as it sways and allows us to see the world in a new and unique way. That said, dance is an incredibly powerful art form, with Alisha in front of my lens, I am nothing shy of excited to provide a tranquil glimpse into the beauty of art in motion.
