feet — Ballet Zaida

The idea to post ballet photos in multiple frames has been on my mind for a long time. The first time I really played around with multiple frames in one photo was in the Felicity Gallery. Although the Felicity Gallery is very different from the Sonata Gallery. The reason the Felicity Gallery had multiple frames was to help tell the story of the Gallery. (Also, the black and white photos in the Felicity Gallery were all taken with an iPhone 4. The photos in the Sonata Gallery were all taken with my nice digital SLR cameras.)

I originally experimented with the cropping and framing of the first Sonata photos from a photoshoot I did with Caitlin McAvoy. When I edited the photos we got from her shoot I had 4 photos in the frame, with no space for text. However after much editing, I decided having 3 photos and text for the dancers name was a more powerful photo.

After I finished a few of the Sonata photos, My sister Alanna and I began brainstorming a name for the Gallery. “Sonatas” was one of the first names I thought of, and after we threw around a couple other ideas, we both felt Sonatas fit the Gallery just right.

What I like about the title “Sonatas”, other than the fact that it’s a beautiful word, is the description of the word.

“An instrumental composition, usually in three or more movements” – Dictionary.com

Caroline’s Sonata was the first new Ballet Zaida photo of 2012, and the first photo in the Sonatas Gallery.

The pose for Caroline’s Sonata was originally inspired from the Degas ballerina sculpture. (The nickname we used for this entire Gallery before we decided on Sonatas, was “Degas”) We altered the pose a little, Caroline’s fourth is more crossed, her arm is holding her elbow, and her head is looking down and to the left, but the inspiration is still there.

Abigail’s Sonata was created at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.

Something I really enjoy about the Sonatas, is that each one is very unique. Abigail’s showcases her nice crossed fifth, her elegant hands, and her incredibile back flexibility that creates a beautiful spiral shape. (That spiral shape is a very challenging pose.) Abigail’s Sonata is very different from Caroline’s, but they’re both incredibly pretty.

I hope you enjoy the Sonatas as they are uploaded, there is many more to come.

-Oliver Endahl

What do you like about the new Sonata photos? Leave a comment on Facebook and share your opinion with us.

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Comment » | Ballet, Behind The Scenes, California, Dance, Photography, San Francisco, Sonatas

Photo of the day – 12/18/11

December 18th, 2011 — 1:57pm

Dancers – Kristina Lind & Myles Thatcher.

Location – Lands End. San Francisco, California.

This photo was taken on one of the windiest days of the year in San Francisco. While we were taking photos I kept having to wipe my camera lens clean because it was getting too wet from all the water flying in the air.

Luckily Kristina & Myles were both cool about the extreme weather, & were very fun to work with. Both of them are very creative & were more than willing to experiment with new poses. Like this pose their in, it’s generally considered a classical ballet position. Myles is holding Kristina & Kristina is leaning into her arabesque. However in this photo, the pose looks more like it’s an intricate contemporary ballet position because of the intensity of the pose, & the setting.

There was actually a wind advisory out to stay away from the coast, but I didn’t find that out until after the photoshoot.

-Oliver Endahl

Still looking for a great holiday gift? Check out the 2012 Ballet Zaida Calendars.

http://balletzaida.com/Ballet_Zaida/Ballet_Zaida_Prints.html

Comment » | Ballet, Behind The Scenes, California, Dance, Photography, San Francisco

Stairs – 11/28/11

November 28th, 2011 — 1:50pm

The latest Ballet Zaida photo features Luke Willis & Rebecca Rhodes.

We created this photo at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.

The Palace happened to be packed that day, loaded with toursits. The center of the Palace had a wedding going on so as we took this photo, right around the corner of that wall a bride was walking down the aisle.

Here’s 2 of the Facebook comments on this photo so far;

“Looks like you’re in Rome.” - Ken Henderson

“Hello Ancient Athens. I feel like I’m looking at a couple of Athenians.” – Tea Ho

I agree with both of the comments. When I personally look at this photo, in accordance with the rest of Gallery Four, it feels like Rebecca & Luke are observing the world from a distant place, and something caught their attention.

I love using the various stair cases at the Palace of Fine Arts. Earlier in Gallery Four we saw this photo of Gemma Marina on another one of the stair cases at the Palace.

The 2 photos feel very different to me. This photo of Gemma isn’t as warm in color as the photo of Luke & Rebecca, so that changes it’s feeling. Also, Gemma’s pose and the composition effect the feeling of it.

When I look at this photo, I have a feeling of going up. Everything about this photo draws the viewer’s eyes upward. Gemma’s pose, the position of the bottom stair, the tree, the wall on the right, the pillars, & the roof design in the upper left corner. It all works together and draws the viewer’s glance upwards.

-Oliver Endahl

Comment » | Ballet, Behind The Scenes, California, Dance, Photography, San Francisco

Gallery Four – October 6th, 2011

October 6th, 2011 — 6:38pm

Today we’ll be discussing the composition of photos, and the ballet technique in them.

The first of today’s new photos features David Donnelly.

What I like about this photo is David’s intense expression, the angle the photo was taken, and also the colors. I also enjoy the vertical blocks at the bottom that frame him.

You can’t tell too much from this photo, but David’s feet are amazing. (You’ll see how amazing on Monday)

This photo of Jeanette Kakareka was created off of Market street in San Francisco, in a tiny alley.

What I like about this photo is the colors. I really enjoy the blue tones, and also how the lighting naturally vignettes her.

I’m a big fan of natural light.

Jeanette’s ballet position in this photo is gorgeous. There’s a lot of great stuff going on like her incredible well placed attitude leg, her flexible but strong upper body, relaxed expression, and her arms. But what what I notice first about this photo is her high arch, and her nicely winged foot. Both of which are great.

I’ve pointed out the nice wing shape her foot makes with red, and her high arch with green.

Jeanette's high arch and winged foot.

You will see many more photos of Jeanette as the gallery continues. She was just getting warmed up in this photo.

The next photo features Jeraldine Mendoza and Alanna Endahl.

Alanna’s tendu back line here is great. Both her legs are turned out, her arms are well placed, and her back foot is winged. And even though Jeraldine is just sitting on the ground, her feet are both in balletically appropriate positions. Notice her left foot is in a well shaped wing, and her right foot is not sickling, and is continuing the line of her leg.

Alanna and Jeraldine’s wing’s are in green, and Alanna’s turn out and Jeraldine’s continued foot line are in red.

Alanna and Jeraldine's nice wings, Jeraldine's nice foot line, and Alanna's turn out.

This next photo is of Caitlin McAvoy.

This is the 2nd shot in Gallery Four that features just the upper body. (The first shot was of Alanna)

As I’ve said before, I’m constantly looking for new angles to photograph dance positions in, and I’ve become a big fan of the just upper body shots.

It turns out this pose is actually much more difficult than it looks, because the arms can’t look too tense, and they can’t look too relaxed. In this shot Caitlin found the perfect balance between the two though, and she added her own artistry. I think the photo turned out great.

The last photo we’ll discuss today features Anthony Spaulding & Kimberly Braylock.

I love the dynamic of this shot. Anthony’s pose is so strong, and Kim’s pose is so free. My eye’s tend to go back and forth between the two.

Both Anthony and Kim’s ballet position’s in this shot are great. Anthony’s standing foot is really well placed, and you can tell he has a really strong balance because of it. Also, his back foot in attitude is shaped and pointed very nicely.

Kim’s arms and upper body are great. And even though Kim is in a falling forward pose, she still maintains a great standing foot shape that continues the line.

Anthony’s standing foot and nicely shaped foot are in red, and Kim’s standing foot line is in green.

Anthony's strong standing and nicely shaped foot, and Kim's great standing foot line.

More photos will be added to Gallery Four this Monday.

-Oliver Endahl

Comment » | Ballet, Behind The Scenes, California, Dance, Dancers only, Photography, San Francisco

Gallery 17 02/20/11

February 20th, 2011 — 8:28am

This is one of my favorite photos of Andrea. Her pose is very elegant, and her expression is interesting. Often times when I take a photo I’ll tell the model a certain type of emotion to portray, but in this photo I feel Andrea’s expression is very mysterious and difficult to read. Which I think is awesome.

Another thing I enjoy about this photo is Andrea’s feet. They look amazing. Look how they continue the line of her leg.

-Oliver Endahl

Comment » | Ballet, Behind The Scenes, New Mexico, Photography, Travels

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