sungaze.
Sylvie L.
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“sungaze.” — a captured moment of Mia mid-move during an improvisational photo session. Although it is a still photo, the graceful quality of her movement and emotion still shine through the screen nonetheless.
I love combining photography and dance every chance I get; my 10+ years of dance experience coupled with my passion for photography allows me to compose engaging, eye-catching photos and also connect with the dancers I collaborate with in a more technical way. As for my artistic process, I like to keep things flexible and loosely structured while I shoot, as authenticity and creating organic moments are values I hold close to me throughout all of my art.
Coming from a background in dance, I understand how intimidating improvising can be, let alone in public, and in front of a camera. With my personal experiences in mind, I put a lot of emphasis on creating an environment where the dancer feels comfortable enough to be vulnerable in front of my lens; whether it’s by putting on their favorite songs in the background, friendly conversations between shots, or hyping them up while they share their talents with me, I do whatever I can to make them feel comfortable and supported. I feel extremely grateful that I am able to create a safe environment for Mia to trust me with her first time improvising in front of the camera.
Despite shooting on a cloudy winter day, we decided to make the most of it by taking some pictures around my school. As we walked around to the parking lot and the sun started shining through the clouds, I started to gravitate towards the harsh midday sun. Although it may seem like a mundane location, it was the perfect blank canvas for Mia to fill my camera frame with her captivating raw movements.
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Creativity: an unconfined vehicle for self-expression. My creative outlets are an escape from reality; they often combine many mediums, as creativity has no boundaries. I love losing myself in the world of dance photography, the seamless intertwinement of artforms always pushing my creative limits.
