April 2006 Entry

April has been an exciting month, busy closing up past projects and shooting, fewer but longer projects. Photographing a dance instruction book, was followed by my favorite Texas dance festival - Dance Salad. 11 companies based in several European countries, China, and the USA performed 14 pieces. I look forward to dance festivals eagerly, due to the opportunity to experience variety of choreographers, dance styles, and skilled dancers. I invariably learn something new about the art, behind the scenes drama, and technical aspects of photography. This is the third year I shot Dance Salad, and the photos have a different feel than last year. William Pedro was the most captivating dancer in Béjart Ballet Lausanne(Switzerland)'s La Barre. A very engaging dancer - exquisite form and movement. And only 17 years old I am told.

This was the first time I got to photograph a Ballet Austin Academy performance. Excerpts from Paquita were my favorite. It was also interesting to see works by Reggie Harris and Michelle Thompson (the Ballet Mistress and Associate Artistic Director of BA) for the first time. Gina Patterson's works was also featured by BA II.

Tapestry's Swinging Then and Now was challenging shoot as usual. Tap moments are difficult to capture, and Jason Amato's high contrast lighting looks dynamic on stage, but is difficult to expose well. Nevertheless I was pleased with a few of the shots. The dance photos are at Photos are at insightphotography.smugmug.com/Dance.

The Sarah Butler Opera Center presented the Dialogue of the Carmelites. A synopsis can be found here. It is always fascinating on how lighting Designer, Kathryn Eader and set designer Christopher McCollum create the ambiance with such limited space at the McCullough. Some of the images are at insightphotography.smugmug.com/Theater. I have posted the full set from St. Stephen's theatre focus production of 42nd Street as well.

A week was spent at the Annual Texas School. This is the largest school of its kind....and an interesting experience. Around 950 photographers were educated by 30+ renowned photographers. I spent a week with Dwayne Lee, a wedding photographer from Arlington, and several other peers from Texas (and a few other states). Dwayne was very generous with his knowledge, and has helped advance my technical and aesthetic skills.

The May issue of Dance Magazine has a review of Houston Ballet's new production of Swan Lake, by Stanton Welch. One photo, taken by me, of Marcelo Gomes and Sara Webb, at the final Dress rehearsal appears in the review. HB limits access to images of their dancers. So this is a rare treat, even if the color in the image, is yellowish for some reason.