There are a million photographs all over the internet to draw inspiration from.  I recently felt drawn to try something that pushed me out of my comfort zone as an artist.  Lately, I have been completely in love with and have been following the work of Jordan Matters.  He is truly the definition of an artist and an extraordinary photographer.  His “Dancers After Dark” series is incredibly beautiful, and if you haven’t seen it, be sure to check it out (caution: most images include nudity).

As a photographer, it is slightly intimidating photographing with little to NO light and pushing the boundaries of our gear which was designed to do exactly that, shoot in low lighting!  So, I had an idea and wanted to see if anyone would join me.

I drew inspiration from Jordan’s shoots and decided to take to the streets of Historic Downtown McKinney and use only the available light that was there…AFTER DARK!!  There were several dancers that joined me throughout the evening and it made for a very exciting journey.  We started out by warming up with natural light and setting the tone for the evening.  The first two young ladies busted out of the gates like wild fire and I knew the rest of the evening was going to be phenomenal.  Lily & Ashleigh worked their magic in front of the camera right away and held nothing back.  Their athleticism and endurance was nothing short of spectacular and I couldn’t wait until the sun went down!!

After the sun had made it’s final descent, we scouted the area and quickly found some incredible spots.  The street lights and ambient light from the shops and cars made for an amazing background.  It was definitely not going to be uneventful!

The quaint little town square did NOT disappoint and all of the girls performed like the world was their stage.  With the assistance of the incredibly talented Jodie Wilk, the girls were extremely receptive to her choreography.  She pushed them to display their very best and gracefully instructed them through the entire process.  I honestly think I would’ve been lost without her!  She has no idea what she’s gotten herself in to, and I may NEVER do another session without her!  Adding Bethany and her long gorgeous legs to the second half of the shoot made everything all the more exciting.

I truly feel like this was one of the most challenging and invigorating shoots I’ve ever taken on.  I loved every minute of it!  I am forever thankful to the all the girls who showed up, Ashleigh, Lily, Bethany & Hannah and for the help of the girls parents.  Also, again, for the help and team work of Jodie Wilk, I am truly indebted to you.  This is something I am certainly considering offering as an option for my sessions and I hope and pray that everyone involved knows how grateful I am that they supported me in this adventure.

Blessings & Love,
Michelle