Meet the Dancers of Cherry Creek Dance

Earlier this Spring I launched a project featuring the lovely young dancers of Cherry Creek Dance School. The goal was to create a range of portraits featuring girls of all different dance styles, skill levels and even a couple of sister pairings.

Despite some delays (from closures due to Covid), we completed 10 beautiful sessions. The girls were pampered and photographed in a way they had never experienced before. It was a fantastic escape from the outside world for everyone involved. Safe in my DelaFoto studio, the girls and their moms had the opportunity to pull out their best dance costumes, get professionally styled and show off their moves. The resulting portraits were truly inspiring and all the buzz amongst the girls, who have danced together for years.

I am so grateful for the chance to meet and know these young women through their passion for dance. I learned so much from working with them and look forward to future projects as they grow and develop their love for dance even further. I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy this compilation video from all these portrait sessions:

Passion: Harp

Getting the call from Madeleine’s mom to schedule her a portrait session, my heart leapt when she said I’d be photographing 15 year old Madeleine with her harp. How new, exciting and potentially gorgeous! We needed to work out some logistics, harps are large and cumbersome instruments and my studio is on a 3rd floor. No problem, I was just going to move the studio down to a 1st floor space, just for that session. The South Broadway church, where I am based, often has spacious rooms I can use in a pinch.

We proceeded to coordinate wardrobe and posing ideas online. I even had the opportunity to see Madeleine play her harp on this Youtube Video, giving me a helpful preview of her skill level, mannerisms and a feel for her style.

When the big day came, the two ladies wheeled the blonde harp into the building and we were set to go. With about an hour of make-up and hair styling immediately followed with an hour of photography, the resulting portraits were everything we had hoped for. A mix of posed portraits & candids, while encouraging Madeleine to actually play her harp, made for a really enjoyable musical experience. It also provides a more authentic feel to the portraits. Never having been in a portrait studio with her harp, I think this also helped with Madeleine’s comfort level.

Soon after the sitting, the family was presented with a splendid collection of portraits to choose from. The final Mounted Print Collection and digital imagery is a wonderful celebration of Madeleine’s passion, especially as she quickly transforms from childhood to adulthood!

If you would like to see more from this portrait session, please visit our Facebook Page Video Post.

Passion: Bassoon

“Before” picture of Tatia

I never know what new Passion I’ll be capturing in portraits. When I heard from Tatia’s mom regarding “Senior” portraits of her daughter, I was excited to learn that her passion was for the Bassoon.

Tatia had missed getting her traditional senior portraits while still in high school and was heading off to her sophomore year in college in NY state. So in August, between school and a trip to Austria (performing at a music festival), we squeezed in a sitting at my Denver studio.

Our stylist Lisa, prepped and pampered Tatia with a natural approach to hair & make-up that suited everyone. During that time, I reviewed posing and dress options with her mom. I have to admit, posing a young woman and such a tall, narrow instrument took some thought and experimentation.

Tatia warmed up to the camera quickly, and the resulting collection of images really reflected her love for her instrument . Our Leather Box Print Collection made for a perfect collectable for her family here in Colorado as they prepared to say goodbye to their busy daughter. The digital images were also suited to Tatia’s growing portfolio needs.

Tatia’s level of expertise is impressive. She is attending the incredibly selective Eastman School of Music , part of the University of Rochester, N.Y. If you’d like to see and hear Tatia performing at the age of 15, visit Youtube. Such an inspiration!

Why Professional Styling?

With today’s busy schedules and active lifestyles, just making time to have professional portraits done can seem a feat in itself. When clients arrive at their session appointment, are they looking and feeling their best? Not always, that’s why I’ve partnered with skilled professionals to style my clients at our Denver studio. They provide for their hair and make-up needs and also help them feel relaxed and comfortable before we get started with the sitting.

My stylists stay during the shoot for last minute touchups and to assist with any adjustments needed due to wardrobe changes, etc. These ladies are certified professionals who often work with brides for their weddings or have salons of their own. Their presence at our studio helps make our photo shoots a top notch experience. That’s why we include it at all our sittings.

Our goal is not to dramatically change your look, but instead to bring out your natural beauty and unique style. For our male clients they assist with that unruly hair or just to eliminate some shine. In the end it’s well worth the extra effort and the resulting portraits will avoid any disappointment in wondering if you could’ve looked better.

Passion: Ballet Dance

A studio ready for new possibilities! A young girl finding herself through dance. This was the small but cozy set for lovely Cierra and her mom to come and celebrate life and ballet dance together.

The family had recently suffered a devastating loss of Cierra’s father, so it was hard to anticipate what the mood of the portrait session would be. We took our time, went through wardrobe options and pampered Cierra with professional hair & make-up styling. We created a stunning braided ballet bun (that she enjoyed for the rest of the day).

Not being an expert on ballet or dance in general, I used some idea boards to suggest poses and looks for Cierra’s photo session. She was to be a dancer for Denver’s upcoming Nutcracker performances, so she had been very committed to her art and had much to look forward to. Her mom was excited to celebrate her beautiful daughter’s accomplishments.

As the hour long session gently progressed, with mom’s encouragement and guidance from behind the camera, we saw a sweet and gentle progression. Moving from solemn discomfort to confidence, this young woman was eventually smiling and playful. Successful dance moves, pretty poses, fun new dresses and the support of a loving, understanding mom was wonderful to witness and capture in portraits.