Sofia and I got together for a shoot in San Francisco, California. We photographed at SF City Hall, and then various parts of Golden Gate Park. (We also got extremely lucky and happened across some cherry blossom trees right as they were in bloom)
We had a blast creating and really lucked out this entire shoot with the lighting and environments.
You can follow Sofia on social media here.
Till next time,
-Oliver
This summer one of my creative outlets has been making digital art pieces using a photo I’ve taken as an inspiration, or as a base for the piece.
My process for creating a piece is usually a few hours of trial and error. (Testing out a color, shape, line, placement of an object, placement of where the dancer is, etc… Trying something and then deleting what I tried and continually experimenting again and again.)
I find it simultaneously exciting and also very therapeutic. My mind gets into a flow state and the joy of trying something and being happy with the result is very satisfying.
Here’s a few of the pieces I’ve created so far;
Jenna Skipworth - @JennaCarara
Ariana Emnace - @oh_nana143
Ahna Greener - @Ahna.Greener
Bradley Denniston - @BradleyHD
Cassidy Kurowski & Kate Huntington - @FizzBam3 & @K8Huntington
Kayla Incontro - @KayinContro
I’ll definitely be creating more pieces. Keep an eye out for them in the future.
-Oliver Endahl
Elseana Skowronski and I got together for a photoshoot in the San Francisco bay area earlier this year.
We began our shoot in SF just outside the Exploratorium near the Embarcadero. When we arrived, there was a small bridge that started spraying mist everywhere. We weren’t sure how long the mist was going to last, so we had El jump in and snapped a few photos of her on the misty bridge.
Turns out, the bride mist is an art project from Fujiko Nakaya. I snapped a photo of the information on the project;
After we shot at the fog bridge, we decided to head south outside of the city towards the Pacifica/Montara area. The weather was surprisingly warm for the bay area, and the scenery was absolutely beautiful.
Then we headed towards “The Devils Bunker” which offered massive views and a cool large structure.
Then we drove back into the city and finished our shoot at Bernal Heights.
A photographer friend of mine, Pat Berrett, and I got together with dancer Adeline Wylie for an outdoor photoshoot in the early morning.
Pat knew of some cool locations in the area and introduced Adeline and myself to this amazing white rock structure, as well as a lovely trail that had a large view of a valley.
Below are my favorite shots from the shoot, as well as a short interview with Adeline.
What’re 2 favorite ballets of yours? (And why are they your favorites?)
As far as classical ballet goes, I love Romeo and Juliet. Juliet has always been one of my dream roles, and the music is so so great. John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is also super fun and whimsical. My favorite stuff to dance and watch is new mixed rep stuff. My mom would take me to see the Houston Ballet mixed repertory shows with cutting edge contemporary ballet, which really sparked my motivation to become a professional dancer.
What’s your favorite soda flavor?
Root beer and cream soda. Specifically root beer made by breweries or craft soda companies.
What is the role of art in society?
Art is a form of expression and entertainment, but it can also persuade change, foster connection, communication, and education.
I love the way art can produce feelings and different perspectives even if the audience speaks a different language or comes from a different culture.
Also love this quote lately about art: "Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable."
Have you ever boogie boarded backwards?
lol No
What are some of your hobbies/passions outside of dance?
Connecting with nature and people, eating good food, reading fantasy, rock climbing, and making art.
How has your relationship with dance changed through the years?
My love for dance hasn’t changed, but my time focused on it has. Dance used to take up so much of my mental space and energy. It’s still a huge part of my life, but no longer my main measurement of success. Being a dance school director has also opened my eyes to how students should be treated with more encouragement and support. You don’t have to beat someone down to achieve successful.
If you had to eat cold pizza, what would your topping preference be?
Black olives, fresh basil, bell peppers, and ranch.
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Instead of comparing yourself to dancers around you, absorb and learn from them. I was so hard on myself.
If you could replace any one of the three flavors in Neapolitan ice cream, what would the new flavor be?
Let’s swap the normal chocolate for Ben and Jerries brownie core.
Where do you see the art of ballet going?
It’s hard to say, but I can think of where I would like it to go. Hopefully more diverse in terms of everything. I think we can diversify and expand while still preserving classics.
You can follow Adeline on Instagram at @Addy.Wylie
Till next time,
-Oliver Endahl
Sofia and I have shot together a few times over the years in a variety of states and locations.
This time, we spent the day creating in San Francisco, California.
Isn’t that arabesque crazy?
We started the shoot at Bernal Heights, which offers beautiful views of the city + a nice view of the Sutro Tower (which you can see in the bottom right corner of the image above)
After bernal we headed to the Legion of Honor Museum.
The legion of honor is a popular photo spot in SF because it has a good variety of photogenic locations in the vicinity.
Our last location was Ocean Beach. That evening the weather rolled in some extremely dense fog that created a gorgeous mysterious atmosphere.
This shoot was extremely fun and we got a ton of gorgeous outdoor dance photos.
You can follow Sofia on IG here, and keep an eye on the zine for more photos down the line.
-Oliver Endahl
