PROJECT CONCEPT

A digital + print zine featuring both photographs and written content. By combining the two elements the intention of the project is to not only showcase the art and beauty of dance but the dancer herself.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Multiple sessions consisting of a mixture of gestural dance poses and more traditional portrait poses presented in an editorial fashion.

FIRST SESSION:
Outside the San Jose Convention Center

OVERVIEW: Approximately an 1 1/2 hour shoot session (slightly longer if we do a multiple exposure shot). The convention center wall will be used as a backdrop, it provides a simple and clean background, similar to a studio shoot look. (See example at the link at the bottom).

The shoot will be super low key and simple, just me and my camera. The focus will be on gesture and light and will consist of a mixture of dance and traditional poses. For the more gestural poses I’ll be relying on you and for the traditional poses I’ll have some sketches we can work off of.

OUTFIT: Feel free to wear whatever is comfortable for you. The only request I would have is to have it layered so we can create some visual variation. 

SHOOT BREAKDOWN: The shoot will be structured around the three outfit variations. For each variation we’ll do 3 sets of shots (each set will consist of a full-length shot, a midshot, and a headshot). For the first two sets we’ll shoot your pose ideas and for the last set we’ll work off of my sketches. After the three sets are completed we’ll shoot one aerial (only if the surface is suitable and safe for you). The process will be repeated for the other two outfit variations. After the three outfit variations have been shot, (depending on how you feel) we’ll do the multiple exposure shot.

HAIR AND MAKEUP: For the hair I was thinking of starting with a bun for the first outfit variation, then a ponytail for the second, and for the last completely let down. For the makeup you can be as bold and theatrical as you would like.

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This is a collaborative effort so I’m open to any ideas you have before and during any of our shoots.

Second Session: Environmental shoot. Tbd location. A mini version of the final session. We’ll be working off of loose storyboards that I’ve created. At the end we’ll also do a test fitting of the dress/es that’ll we’ll use for the final shoot (I’ll be getting the outfit from thredup with your consultation)

Final Session: Fully storyboarded environmental shoot. Tbd location. A longer version of the previous session at a new location.

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This will be a long form project that will be spread out over the year. Finding the right location that inspires me and then storyboarding the shoot takes time. Plus the coordination of our schedules and weather and finding the ideal time of year. 

WRITTEN CONTENT

This an opportunity to tell the reader about yourself. What does dance mean to you, what drew you to it, your inspirations and aspirations, etc. At the end of the zine there will also be a page for your bio; how long you’ve been dancing, past performances, etc.

WRAP-UP

The photos will be uploaded to a temporary google drive for you to download and you’ll be free to use them as you like. When all the photos have been processed and your written content is done I’ll design the layouts. Once finished the zine will be printed through blurb.com. You’ll be provided with a copy and it’ll also be available to purchase (priced for just the cost of printing) through the website in case you want more copies.. The spreads will be uploaded on my website and I’ll post the photos from our sessions on my main instagram account.

Full transparency, I’m not a professional photographer, I just do this for fun. Not only do I enjoy taking the pictures, but I like the process of pairing and sequencing them to create a visual narrative. I’m inexperienced in this field (other then shooting a few dance festivals), but I do have an artist background and I have a great appreciation for the beauty of the gesture. It’s an ambitious project but I’m excited for the challenge!       

There’s no need to commit to the project right away. I figure we can use the first session to ease into it and you can get a feel of how I work and we can go from there. 

I’ve done a similar project with cosplayers where I’ve taken the photos and they’ve written about the creation of their cosplay. Our first photo session will have a similar look to these shots: https://www.apertureandpaint.com/cosplayzines

You can get a general idea of how I’ll be shooting the second and third session here: https://www.apertureandpaint.com/patchandsnap

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!