Aileen - Del Oro High School Class of 2014

Usually my blog posts are easier to write.  The most recent ones have been about the fantastic photographers I've gotten to work with, the glorious venues I went to, and how lovey dovey cute and fabulous the bride and groom are.  I suppose this one is a smidge harder to focus down to one main point, considering I have slightly over 18 years of information on this particular one.  Unfortunately, due to the process of aging, I can no longer try and ignore the fact of Aileen being my sister...  Within the past week or so I've been told "you look like Aileen, just taller" or when I posted a sneak peek on Facebook, one person said, "When I first looked at this before I click on the bigger picture ...I thought it was you!"  Bummer.  Can't pull that "I'm adopted" card anymore.  So Aileen... where to begin with her.  I could start with the day I met her in the hospital, and she made me faint...  Or the years where she wore a beret every day...  Or how everyone remembers her being the pig tailed girl eating goldfish at my middle school basketball games.  Despite all the things I will probably tease her about for the rest of her life, there are some impressive qualities this girl has.  She's a dancer since age three, a musician on about a half dozen different instruments, and quite the science wiz.  She's worked hard in school between zero period band and AP classes, and still finds time to hang out with friends.  I'm impressed with the work load she has taken upon herself, and the skills to have gotten accepted in to two different Universities right out of high school.
The last time I photographed Aileen was for her 16th birthday, which seems so long ago. Yes, there were pointe shoes and a fat cat involved.  Thinking it would be fun to relive that moment, we started off her senior session with an updated photo of her and her cat Mushu.  Well, "fun" may not be the word, but it sure made for a unique portrait.  Afterwards, we headed to Old Sacramento to finish up the portrait session with a more casual, as well as more pointe shoe, cat-less portrait.  Here are a few of my favorites from the day!
As if photographing Aileen's senior portraits weren't enough to make me feel like an exceptionally older sister, but she heads off to Senior Ball tomorrow.  I'm still not sure what I'll do if my live in model decides to go away to college next year, but I know whatever she chooses to do for herself, she'll rock it out.  Whether she think so or not.  Congratulations Aileen, you're nearly done being a high schooler with all your AP class, early morning, late night, no sleep madness.  Then it's onward to the real world, which is probably going to be just as exciting :)

2011 Photographer Favorites - The Ballerinas

It has been a while since I revisited this personal project of mine, and what better time than now? The Ballerina Project was the most fun I could have with my senior portfolio project, and looking back on it now makes me really glad for all the time and work I put in to it. Now I'm not going to fill this post with all 18 images, so I went and picked my 5 all time favorites for you to revisit with me :) The entiretly of the original ballerina blog posts can be viewed by clicking here. Megan
Rachael
Katie & Kristin
Karen

Aria

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Aria

Sadly, all good things must eventually come to an end, which includes this ballerina project I did for the semester. I figured we needed to go out with a BANG, which is exactly what Aria brought to the table during the session! I have never seen a girl who can leap so high, or stretch her leg out as far as she could! While winding up our Roseville shoot, we ended up on Main Street, and found this little brick doorway. Becca and Lexi both came up with their individual images in this doorway, but then Aria pushed the envelope and stretched herself from end to end in the doorway. LOVE IT!
Thank you SO much to all the girls who have helped make this project come through to the finished project for this semester. I couldn't have done it without all of you amazing volunteers! If I ever come up with another ballerina related project, I will let you all know :)

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Becca

You remember Becca, right? The gorgeous red head ballerina who climbed all over the underneath side of the Forresthill bridge with me to get to the graffiti? Of course you remember her! I just HAD to do some more solo shots of her when we were out with Lexi and Aria, and I'm super glad we did! She's always fun to work with, and super easy to photograph :) She makes everything look so simple! Girls like her make me LOVE my job!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Lexi

Let me just start off by saying that Lexi started this shoot out telling me she wasn't very good on pointe... This was one of her FIRST images that I took. Needless to say, she was amazing on pointe. She brought some different and innovative poses that I hadn't seen any other girl throughout the workings of my project try out. She was willing to take risks, and test out her limitations. What photographer DOESN'T like a subject like that :)

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Becca, Lexi & Aria

I had another opportunity to work with multiple ballerinas, and so I jumped at the chance to incorporate them together as much as possible! Becca found me two of her friends and we spent an evening in Roseville shooting around some different locations and trying a whole bunch of different options. I had a blast creating images such as this one, and finding new ways to combine the dancers in with their surroundings.

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Dallis

I had posted on Facebook awhile back, trying to figure out what exactly the Old Sugar Mill was, and whether it was worth taking a ballerina out to for my project. After great response from a few local photographers, and then figuring out a ballerina that would be able to go out there, we made it happen! This place was EXCELLENT and full of so many options to use. Dallis did an awesome job, and created some photos that I had a SUPER hard time choosing from. This location has become one of my favorites to shoot at (so much, that i had MY "senior" portraits taken there by Ariana) and I would love to go back there again soon!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Abby

Abby was "lucky" enough to be another rainy day ballerina. We met in Rocklin at this Temperance Hall, and used the overhang to our advantage as much as possible! We tried a few other places just down the road, but I just loved how different this building looked compared to all the rest. And of course, Abby did an excellent job in the cold, the wind, and the rain :)

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Anna

Anna is another from my Sac State dance department collection, and she was simply gorgeous! I almost didn't believe her when she said she was only a FRESHMAN at the university. say what?! We walked a few places around vernon street near the civic center, and got some great images! With our crazy schedules, i'm super glad we were finally able to meet over spring break to work together! on top of that, it was the ONE day over break that it wasn't rainy. talk about lucky!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Katlynn

I would have to say that Katlynn wins the award for the ballerina who absorbed the most water during her photo shoot. When we started shooting, it was pretty much a light sprinkle, but by the time we were wrapping up, it's safe to say that it was pretty much a down pour. Between each shot, i had to clear the water droplets from my lens as quick as i could so that neither of us would end up freezing for too long. This was also the shoot where i didn't have an exact location where i wanted to shoot. Kat hopped in my car, and on we drove down 16th street until i found something i liked. She was a breeze to work with, giving me so many options to work with for poses. Even being daring enough to try some leaps. Gotta love that dedication!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Karen

The day before my photoshoot with Karen, I was driving through Roseville and happened past the Galleria Mall. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of those little carnivals in the parking lot, and had instant inspiration. Since at the moment we only have half a mall, i've really found no want or desire to go there, but today, i knew i had to. I made my way down to the concierge desk, and asked how long the parking lot would be that way. "Through tomorrow evening," she said. Excellent. I knew that was where my starting point with Karen would be, and I am SO happy with how they turned out!
Karen is another girl who i've seen grow up through the years, and her sister Kelly was also in my dance class for YEARS. A recent high school graduate, and a fellow CSUS student, she was happy to take time out of her busy schedule to help me out. Through the wind she rocked it out, and we had a blast! This photo actually makes me crave state fair time this year. Wonder how many people i could get for a photo shoot there! Thanks again Karen!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Katie & Kristin

10 weeks of ballerinas already? usually when it comes to photo classes, i'm dragging my feet along, and as soon as midterm hits, i'm kicking in to high gear to get my a game on and heading in for final portfolio. amazingly, this semester, i have been WAY on top of my shooting. which has made me almost feel more excited to spend my weekends photographing ballerinas back to back. like i said in the last two posts, these girls were SO much fun to work with. their pose ideas together were awesome! i loved how they totally turned memorial auditorium in to the backdrop for their "performance" bouncing ideas off each other left and right. if one couldn't get a pose just right, the other would try and then throw ideas back. probably my easiest and least directed shoot YET. great job girls. i hope you had a blast as well!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Kristin

i have kristin to thank for the collection of ballerina's from the sacramento state dance department. i stayed after my history and appreciation of dance class to inform my professor about my project, and ask if she could lead me in the right direction of who i would talk to to find ballerinas in the dance department. Kristin just happened to be in the room as well, waiting to talk to her, and she pointed me right to her, and that was that! We met up a few weeks ago with Katie outside of memorial auditorium, and had a great time. working with two girls at the same time was SO fun, and i cannot WAIT to show you their partner shot next week!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Katie

this is another appreciation for the sac state dance program week. i'm so glad i was able to get in touch with the in order to help me with this project! katie was one of the girls in the intermediate/advanced ballet class taught on campus, and i loved photographing her! she came with kristin early sunday morning (the day of daylight savings to be exact!) and rocked it out. in my mind i was imagining simple, stereotypical ballet poses, but between the two of them, they were bouncing ideas off of each other left and right, i didn't know where to begin! there were so many photos to choose from, it was hard to narrow it down. we met at the memorial auditorium, and even with only shooting at that one location, we were able to get TONS of different looks.

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Rachel & Dakota

when the thought of working with two ballerinas crossed my mind, i didn't know what to do with myself. how would i incorporate them together? did i want them posed together as a unit, or two separate individuals within a scene? and what would i find around that would even allow them to be posed simultaneously without looking just plain awkward. well, here you have it! you saw Dakota last week, down on tower bridge, and once we rounded the corner, i saw this parking garage and just knew THIS was the place. Dakota and Rachel climbed up to the second floor, and held on with all their might. no, there wasn't a nice flat spot for them to pose on. just a small ledge that was just perfect for a pointe shoe box. i'll let you in on a secret. their arms aren't positioned there just by coincidence ;) i'm sure if i went back again, i would bring 4 ballerinas... one for every level! oh yes, the wheels are now turning... well anyways, these girls worked long and hard in the wet streets of Old Sacramento, and deserve a high five for their hard work! So if you see them around, seriously. high five them.

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Dakota

i've known Dakota for FAR longer than i can remember. probably can be safe to say its been about 16 or 17 years. i started taking dance lessons back in 1992 around my third birthday, and the only girl to remain consistently in my classes was her older sister Jessica. (someone please hit me with a virtual stick... i NEVER blogged Jessica's wedding OR engagement session last year! ugh!) When my younger brother and cousin also began dance classes with my studio, Dakota was in their class as well. Over the years I have been able to watch Dakota take her talents to a whole different level, and pursue the passion that she has for dance. I was super excited when she replied with interest in being involved in my ballerina project, and couldn't wait to work with her. Dakota totally rocked it out, along with her friend Rachel (you'll see her next week!) in Old Sac in the rain no less!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Kelli

most of my shooting has happened out of my area. whether it has been down the freeway in one direction or the other, i just found more excitement in buildings in places away from me. i took advantage this past weekend and met up with kelli in my town, and used the big event hall as our shooting location. i'm finding myself incorporating stairs quite a bit. they're just so useful!
kelli did such a great job, we were done shooting in no time! it was so nice of the sun to be out for us as we were shooting. it remained rain free, which was a huge plus!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Rachael

it was so extremely difficult just to pick one image to post from rachael's shoot this past weekend. rachael and i collaborated through the CSUS dance department's intermediate/advanced ballet class, and boy am i glad she said yes! we walked the four sides of the capitol building and incorporated her movements in to the area. lucky for us, there was pretty much NOBODY at the building, so we had free range of the entire area.
you can see rachael perform along with the sacramento ballet at their upcoming show, icons & innovators this month. i'll be attending one of the performances, so if you'd like to join me, leave me a comment and we can figure something out!

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Becca

oh my heck... this shoot was AMAZING. i found this location from a friend of mine and declared to her that i LOVED her pictures, and i NEEDED to know where it was so i could put a ballerina in it. her "secret" place took us on a journey to the foresthill bridge (you know, the one seen in xXx?) in auburn. We started shooting on this catwalk before we moved on to the larger grafitti area (which getting to took us back to our jungle gym days) that was under the base of the bridge where it connected to the ground.
becca was SUCH a trooper... she literally had her pointe shoes on for about an hour during all this climbing that was making ME winded. she was a BLAST to photograph, and i'm SO glad we decided on this location for her! can you tell finally posting this excites me?

Toe Shoe Tuesday - Katelyn

if i was to guess -and i'm generally good at guessing- katelyn is probably about my height, if not SUPER close. therefore, adding another member to the super cool, super legit tall ballerina club. i met her for the first time at the start of our shoot, and she was SO much fun to work with. i've shot down on vernon street before, but having a ballerina is a totally different experience than shooting there with a bride. was it any less fun? no way! i just love the funky colors of this area, and how well the vintage-esque architecture contrasted with katelyn's simple dance ensemble. and i totally love how the date on the marquee has not been changed in months.
fun fact: we totally jerry-rigged her skirt. THAT was half the battle in itself to get it to look right on a taller ballerina. good thing us ballerinas can be crafty with bobby pins!