Charlotte Tonkinson // London, United Kingdom

You’d think after 200+ shoots (shoot number 220 to be exact), I would have learned some semblance of terminology. I know my 6 positions fairly well, but besides that, I couldn’t tell you the difference between a perfect attitude and a bad attitude.

Usually I’ll just wing it and describe what I want in layman’s terms: “can you put one foot on the ground, and one foot up the air?” That being said, I do know what a good winged foot should look like. To wing the foot in ballet means to turn the foot outwards from the ankle while pointing the toes, creating a shape resembling a bird's wing. This technique is often used in ballet movements such as jumps, turns, and extensions to add elegance and beauty to the dancer's lines.

After a few test shots on my iPhone Viewfinder app (an app that almost perfectly approximates my compositional framing, without needing to waste any frames), I was ready to make my shot. In between dodging traffic that was maneuvering opposite what I expected (read: I would look left on a one-way street, only to remember that the cars would be coming from the right side instead) and waiting for pedestrians to cross my frame, I double checked my composition through my waist level finder. Right as I raised my eyes up from the camera towards Charlotte to make my picture, I stopped. As if on cue, a bird decided to strut towards the edge of my frame.

Mr. Stripey, the exhibitionist bird, got the memo and dressed in two-toned silver and black, though opposite Charlotte’s all black tights and silver pointe shoes. Taking his time to reach Charlotte, and what seemed like an eternity to me, Stripey took center stage, paraded in perfect synchronicity with Charlotte’s winged foot. This unexpected addition to my shoot was a reminder that even though we can plan a shoot down to a wing, sometimes it’s best to role with the punches and take what is given to you.

May 2, 2022