With COVID-19 keeping us all at home, I’m playing a bit of catch-up with my blog- firstly, because it’s time. And secondly, because I think ALL of us could use a few doses of pretty in our lives right now!

This girl is quickly becoming one of my favorite muses. Peyton’s a ballerina with the Washington Ballet, and you might remember our shoot from Paris (still not over that epic blue, taffeta skirt by Katherine Bignon!). When I saw she was going to be modeling at the Pas de Deux conference in Phoenix, I KNEW I had to find a way to shoot with her. Truthfully, I didn’t attend the conference for portfolio material (I really just wanted to learn by watching others shoot and teach!), but it turns out that I DID get the opportunity to shoot and I’m SO grateful for it! Especially because it was with my favorite red-headed ballerina!

In a not-officially-part-of-the-conference shoot, we hopped in the car along with photographers Chris Stark and Juan Zapata (who were hilarious to shoot alongside, by the way) and headed out to a nearby mountain to catch the last bit of light. But first we had to walk UP to the top of the mountain (which was more of a big hill, really, when compared to the Virginia mountains I grew up knowing). Which had cacti and spurs along the way. And I kinda sorta didn’t bring hiking shoes… so I did it in a pair of Rothys.

Good news: I only managed to get pricked by one spur!

Lesson learned… next time I go to the desert, bring better footwear.

But I digress. We made it to the top JUST before the sun disappeared over the mountain (hill?), and had enough time to get Peyton into her pointe shoes and over to the ledge and shoot a few backlit photos before the sun sank beyond the horizon. I thought that would be the end of it, but then we turned 180 degree around and saw the sky was the most beautiful shades of pinks and purples as the light was fading in the east! We moved Peyton and shot as fast as we could before the light was gone, and I’m absolutely in love with the result.

Peyton & Aimee- thank you for inviting me to come along! I still feel so honored that you included me :). I had so much fun, and honestly, these photographs alone made the trip out to Phoenix worth it! These are some my favorite ballerina portraits of all time. Sending big, grateful hugs to you both!