Ballet photographer

2009 Lands End Sutro Bath Ruins Photoshoot

Today we’re going back in time to 2009 to my second photoshoot ever.

Kristina Lind and Myles Thatcher at the Lands End Trail in 2009

Since this was my second shoot ever, I borrowed a Canon 50D camera with a 50mm lens, enlisted my friends who I trained with at the San Francisco Ballet School, and we shot outdoors at the Sutro bath ruins and lands end trail in San Francisco, California.

The canon 50D by the way had 15 megapixels. To put that in perspective, the latest iPhone here in 2025 has 48 megapixels. (Of course, photography isn’t all about the megapixels, but it’s still wild.)

My friends in this shoot are Kristina Lind, Myles Thatcher, Dylan W and Nicole Voris. During this timeframe, we had all recently finished (or were close to finishing) our training at the San Francisco Ballet School. We were all hungry for life and at the start of our professional careers.

This shoot hugely propelled my confidence forward in photography. At the time I was guessing I could create images that entailed high level ballet technique, but on top of that, I also wanted to convey a sense of movement, a sense of whimsy, and a sense of emotion. (All the things I think ballet itself is.)

I’m still a big fan of these images. I can see where my photographic flaws were, but overall, I look at these images with joy. We had a lot of fun creating them and the reception they received at the time was so strong, I recall it hugely motivated me and gave me the confidence that I could actually achieve the photographic goals I wanted to.

What’s also fun when looking at photos from the past is to see where the dance careers of everyone ended up. Kristina Lind danced with the San Francisco Ballet, then Dutch National Ballet and then Bayerisches Staatsballett. (And she is currently a principal dancer there)

Myles Thatcher joined San Francisco Ballet the year of this photoshoot as an apprentice, and he is now a soloist there and a respected choreographer in the dance industry.

Nicole Voris (Who is also my wife as you all know!) Toured with San Francisco Ballet, then danced with Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Austin, and then danced commercially in Los Angeles. She now does repertoire dance work with our friends who are choreographers, and she also choreographs herself. (She is also an exceptionally talented dance teacher)

Till next time!

-Oliver Endahl

Rachel and Ella Bullock in Studio

Rachel and Ella Bullock are two very talented sisters.

We met up at a photo studio in the Chicago, Illinois area and utilized all the room had to offer.

Some of the outfits they wore on the shoot were created by their talented Mother, Melissa Oakes.

Rachel and Ella Bullock wearing Melissa Oakes

Rachel and Ella Bullock wearing Melissa Oakes

Rachel Bullock wearing Melissa Oakes

Rachel and Ella Bullock in color

Rachel and Ella Bullock in black and white

Rachel and Ella Bullock in color

Rachel and Ella Bullock in black and white

Rachel and Ella Bullock in color

Rachel and Ella Bullock in black and white

Rachel Bullock

Ella and Rachel Bullock

Ella and Rachel Bullock

Ella and Rachel Bullock 

Rachel Bullock

Ella Bullock wearing an outfit by Melissa Oakes

Ella Bullock

Ella Bullock

Rachel Bullock

Rachel Bullock

Ella Bullock

Ella Bullock

You can follow Rachel, Ella and Melissa on IG below.

Rachel

Ella

Melissa

Keep an eye on the zine for more shoots with this talented crew in the future.

Till next time,

-Oliver

Hunter Chrislyn Mikus in San Francisco

Hunter and I shot together in the San Francisco Bay Area in May of this year.

We started the shoot at Bernal Heights in SF.

Bernal is a beautiful spot to shoot with stunning views of the city.

The wind was a bit intense, (to say the least) but Hunter was a trooper and played off the energy and vibe of the wind with some of the poses.

After we finished at Bernal Heights, we went to a nearby neighborhood and used this gorgeous garden spot that had lovely vinery and foliage.

After the garden area, we headed to the coast and shot at Ocean Beach for sunset.

As you can see, Hunter is a talented dancer with huge charisma and a unique movement quality. It’s always a blast creating with her and this shoot was especially fun.

You can follow Hunter on IG here.

Till next time,

-Oliver Endahl