Kenzie Cohen and I started our photoshoot at the DTLA Visuals studios located in Los Angeles, California.
After we created shots there, we headed to the coast and shot in the late afternoon near Santa Monica Beach.
Shooting with Kenzie is great. She creates gorgeous lines and brings excellent charisma (and she’s always a blast to chat with during our shoots!)
You can follow Kenzie on IG here and keep an eye on the Zine for more shoots with her in the future.
-Oliver
Sydney Tyra and I got together for a shoot at a studio in the downtown Los Angeles area.
Below are my favorite shots from the shoot + a mini interview with her.
Favorite Quote?
I love the quote from Little Women: “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.”
Favorite pizza toppings???
Artichoke and cheese!
What’s your favorite movie you’ve seen this year? (It can be old or new, as long as it was new to you)
I’d have to say Challengers! Amazing actors/score/cinematography all around.
What’s your unwinding routine?
My unwinding routine includes a solo walk by the ocean with some relaxing music, a long shower, and a Disney movie in my bed with a nice candle lit. (My all time fav is probably the Lion King)
What’s your favorite part about modeling?
My favorite part of modeling is when I get into the “flow” and everything else sort of melts away. I’m able to fully be in the moment and allow myself to express whatever comes to me. It’s almost similar to the feeling I get when I dance/improv!
If you could travel anywhere, what’s at the top of your list?
The top of my list is either Mykonos or Sweden to see the Northern Lights!
You can follow Sydney on Instagram here @Sydney.Tyra and keep an eye on the Zine for more shoots with her in the future.
Till next time,
-Oliver
Jaclyn Younger and I have shot many times over the years. She is a frequent collaborator and is always a joy to work with. These photos were created earlier this year at a new photo studio I hadn’t used before.
I gave Jaclyn various interview questions for this post. Here are her answers
What’s been your favorite piece to perform?
Over the years I've performed several traditionally classical roles that I really love (demi-soloist in Paquita, Snow Queen, Dew Drop, and Spanish Lead in The Nutcracker, and variations such as Gamzati's wedding variation from La Bayadere and the La Esmeralda variation), but the pieces that tend to stick to me the most lean more neoclassical and contemporary. Last season I performed in an original piece, Quatro, by Juilliard alumni and current University of New Mexico professor Vladimir conde Reche and it will always be a piece that I remember as a catalyst for growth, challenge, and overall, the love of performance as a whole. I can't wait to see what new roles and pieces continue to inspire me in the near future.
What are other forms of art you enjoy outside of ballet?
Outside of ballet, I'm very drawn to both writing and photography. I graduated with a BA in Multimedia Journalism which I have been able to turn into a side job of professionally curating blogs and social media sites. Additionally, I work as an Assistant Creative Director for a nationally known wedding photography team (shout out to Alicia Lucia Photography), that allows me to continue to expand my skills as a writer, curator, and viewer of real-life love stories.
Beyond my professional pursuits, I'm a sucker for art galleries both big and small. I'll find any excuse to visit an exhibit or full blown museum in my local community and when I travel.
What do you think needs to change about the ballet industry?
There are so many elements of ballet that need to change, but the most prominent to me are the treatment of dancers and the perception of bodies in the dance world. Too many times dancers are asked to essentially work for free or for very little money in high stress situations with sometimes zero medical or emotional support from dance companies. In any other field of work employees are able to demand more, however in the dance world, especially when it comes to ballet, asking for livable wages and appropriate work conditions is taboo and dancers are generally expected to 'tolerate it'. I fully support the notion of more dancers, no matter the size of their companies, unionizing in order to create a better present for themselves and future for aspiring dancers.
Additionally, I think that there needs to be a huge adjustment in the way that the ballet world handles the idea of a 'perfect ballet body'. For too long there has been a stigma around weight in ballet companies around the globe and this diminishes the fact that dancers are human beings and therefore should be able to embrace change in their bodies over the years.
If ballet as a whole can't take on the demands of the 21st century such as treating dancers like people instead of just bodies, there is a real question of if the art form itself can truly be salvaged moving forward. As someone who loves ballet to my core, I hope that ballet, and the dance world at large, can adapt and create a more welcoming, realistic community for all.
You can follow Jaclyn on IG and keep an eye here for more of our shoots in the future.
-Oliver
This is the first time Adeline Wylie and I created in a photo studio together. We shot at a local place and utilized natural light.
Adeline brought a variety of fun outfits that we got to play with. I think the photos have an ethereal/editorial vibe.
As you can see from the photos, Adeline is definitely a pro at modeling.
You can follow Adeline on Instagram @Addy.Wylie and keep an eye on the Zine for more shoots with her in the future.
-Oliver Endahl
Briana Baldovinos
Colorful studio photoshoot in Los Angeles
This was the first photoshoot Briana and I did together. I had seen this colorful photostudio available for rent in LA and thought it would be a great location for us to utilize.
I loved the vibrant colors of this space. I think bright colors are underutilized in art and pop culture. Probably because colors are the “standard” of photos, so people equate less color (black and white) to be more “meaningful” in their expression. (But both black and white and color, are equally valid in their artistic expression.)
Briana brought a great charisma and achieved excellent ballet lines that played well with the lines of the furnishings.
For the lighting, there was one large window located on one end of the studio that we used as our main source. It was an overcast day, so the light came in soft and diffused.
I’ve been photographing for around 14 years so I can shoot quickly when I need to. Briana had done many photoshoots before and is a pro, so we were able to create all these images + more in just a 2 hour time period.
You can follow Briana on IG at @Briana.Ballerina and you can keep up with my work right here on the Zine.
-Oliver Endahl
