alun callender's blog

It was almost eight years now that I turned up early one morning at the Royal Ballet with my now retired Nikon FM2′s and a pro pack of Tri-x pan (the best black and white film ever) to take some images of Darcy Bussell to compliment an at home feature I had made the previous day for Red magazine.

It was a most exhilarating and inspiring hour and a real pleasure to photograph her as she flew about the studio with such beauty and grace.

Fiona Geilinger creates pattern-based and print-inspired short videos using the moving body.

She uses effects to separate the performers from their backgrounds then animates the human movement trajectories.

It has an exciting and a wonderful retro feel, quite often she combines her animation with live performance.

I met up with her in her editing suite in Brighton last month and it was exciting to talk to her about the future of the medium.

http://www.fionageilinger.co.uk/

I finally got to see the Hofesh Shechter Dance company perform Political Mother, it was an incredible performance combining contemporary dance, with the atmosphere of a Rock performance with the oppressive power of a George Orwell Novel.

If you get the chance to book tickets I strongly urge you to go, it was certainly an experience and the first dance performance I’ve been to that handed out ear plugs before hand!

I had the chance to photograph Hofesh Shechter in 2010 just before the debut of Political Mother for the Brighton festival, and to have the chance to photograph the end of a rehearsal.

More details to be found here:

http://www.politicalmother.co.uk/politicalmother.html

Back in my favourite studio in Brixton last month to shoot dancer number six in my project.

Thank you to:
Assistant Isabel Oakes for organising the shoot & for post production.
Dancer Chris Bradley

Issy organized some more dancers to shoot during May this time at the Moving East studio in North London.

Thank you to:
Assistant Isabel Oakes for organising the shoot & for post production.  http://www.issyoakes.com/
Dancers Ellen Yilma, Beatriz Muelas & Marta Masiero
Hair & make up Chloe Mzimba. http://www.chloemzimba.com/

I have finally started a new project that I’ve wanted to do for ages.
I am planning to do a series of portraits of dancers, and to contrast two images together, one of energy, movement & space.
The other of a quietness & silence, in a more confined space.
Thank you to:
Assistant Isabel Oakes for organising the shoot. http://www.issyoakes.com/
Dancers Lisa Colette Bysheim (top) & Bianca Hopkins
Hair & make up Chloe Mzimba. http://www.chloemzimba.com/