r1whiteweb-1-png

Wilson College Photographer: Music & Dance Collaboration

A dramatic collaboration between music and music professors in Wilson College– this was so much fun to photograph!!!
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-1Music professor, Lisa, shared, “We reached out to you because we loved your work previously with Orchesis and my professional shots!  You are prepared, kind and professional while also being creative, laid back and flexible. You do so well working with natural light, and improvising to find new, interesting places to play with structure and space.”
She continued, “We hope to share these images online, in our portfolios and as keepsakes. Photos reflecting our time rehearsing and collaborating together.  It has been an amazing experience for both of us and we love working together!”
Something I noticed right away when I was working with these two, is their ability to work with each other to achieve balance and symmetry, while both remaining strong and independent, they were able to support each other fully.  It was so cool to witness!
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-2
They explained, “We both enjoy interdisciplinary collaboration, and exploring how live music can influence dance (and vice versa).”
Megan added “The balance is interesting, we’ve spoken about ‘blurring the line’ between between being a “singer” and a “dancer.”
I wanted to capture an image that would convey each of their talents…
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-3
Megan shared, “We work well together because of our open-mindedness, love of singing and dancing, willingness to ‘play’ and try new things. We are both dependable and laid back.”
This visual takes open and laid back into the literal, physical realm…
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-4
I first photographed opera singer, Lisa a couple of years ago… we snapped a quick update to her headshot:
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-5
They shared, “The tone of the photo shoot fluctuated between intimate/lighthearted (at one point the two of us were laughing) to melodramatic (I think of  shadowy scene at sunset). We can embody the two, depending on the sounds and movements we explore in each improvisation.”
Here’s a playful one…
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-6
Here is something a little more dramatic.   I love the organic feel of their movements and the vines.
Lisa shared, “Our gowns reflect our singer and dancer backgrounds, while being flexible enough to move fluidly. As for the location, we wanted a raw, organic and natural feel, that would meld well with our improvisational structures.”wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-7
I had also photographed Megan a few years ago, so here is a little update for her as well… love the strength of her expression mixed with soft body language…wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-8
Megan explained, “We met three years ago, when I moved to Chambersburg to begin working at Wilson College. When I found out there was a professional opera singer on campus, I knew I wanted to work with her!”
She continued, “In a place where we don’t have as many outlets to create beyond teaching, this is an incredible outlet to create, explore and work on our own professional practices. We’ve both lived in cities, and have recognized, in each other, we can continue professionally collaborating on our small campus.”
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-9
“We were fortunate to receive the 2019 summer research grant stipend at Wilson College, supporting our time rehearsing, shaping and structuring this duet. There’s a lot of give and take during the improvisation, moments where we feed off each other melt into moments of pure independence. One pushing , the other pulling. Sometimes both pushing or pulling. All of this involves the constant act of being present in each given moment. Deep listening and mindfulness is integral to this kind of collaborative venture.”
Now for my personal favorite, “stealing her voice”…
wilson-college-best-chambersburg-photographers-1-10
Lisa explained, ” We are looking forward to sharing our work on Arts Day: Wednesday, October 9th at 9:30 a.m. at Sarah’s Coffeehouse, Wilson College.”  You can see Megan and Lisa in person on Arts Day or check out their previous sessions with me, here (Lisa’s) or here (Megan’s).

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *