I don’t usually photograph young ballerinas- all my other sessions have been with either pre-professionals or ballerinas dancing during their time in college. But when I received Lily’s email that she found my work on Pinterest, and ended with “I hope we can dance together!” along with a few photos of how absolutely gorgeous of a dancer she is? I couldn’t turn the opportunity down. She’s currently a student at the Washington Ballet School, and since I’ve been dying to shoot a session in a studio, this was a match made in heaven!

Ballet studios can be a little tricky, though- the one I grew up dancing in had zero natural light, and most of the studios I’ve encountered in the past have similar designs. But the Washington Ballet was a photographer’s dream come true- an entire. wall. of. windows.

This was was also a bit different in that I knew in advance that I was going to want to shoot the majority of it on B&W film (Ilford HP5, in case any of you photographers were wondering), and I am absolutely, positively in love with the result.

Lily, thank you so much for taking a chance and emailing me! These portraits are exactly what I’d been dreaming of, and I’m so grateful you were willing to share your talent with me!