Nina Tonoli // Amsterdam, Netherlands
With this being the last of four ballerina shoots for me in less than 12 hours, I was mentally exhausted and ready to call it a day. It didn't help my composure at all that, as I was exiting my Uber to meet up with Nina, the driver pulled away and ran into a motorcycle rider, throwing him 20 feet away to the ground. Needless to say, I was completely thrown off my composure and ready to call it a day.
But that is not what professionals do! Winners never sleep, and sleepers never win… or something like that. Thankfully, Nina was interested in photography, so during our shoot, I was able to shift my focus away from the Uber accident (the motorcyclist was okay... I saw him walk away, thank God!) and discuss photography jargon with her. It’s not often that my ballerina subject is also an accomplished photographer…
We got to shoot on the grounds of the Rijksmuseum, home to all the famous Dutch master painters. Europe truly does have a way with their manicured gardens, unlike anything available here in the States. I especially loved all the walled shrubbery, and walkways surrounding the museum. I think I could also make an entire project of photographs with ballerinas amongst shrubs…
Though this is unequivocally not any particular ballet pose, you can see Nina’s elegance and grace in her posture, despite the informality. The way her limbs rest, and her feet stand in 1st position… and she’s caught peering into the unknown. I cannot reiterate enough how much I adore the idea of “subtle ballet”. I don't remember telling Nina how exhausted I was, but when I suggested this pose/idea to her, I felt that she perfectly captured the feeling of wanting to rest one's face against some soft leaves.
Despite the chaos of that day, I was grateful for the opportunity to capture such talented and dedicated ballerinas on camera, showcasing them in quirky and different poses. It's photographs like these that make all the hard work and long hours worth it. As I reflected on the day, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the experiences and connections that photography has brought into my life. And with that, I packed up my Hasselblad, ready to rest up for the next adventure and country… Barcelona.
May 10, 2022
