Photography is not just taking pictures. It’s an idea or concept you want to express through your photographs.
I already had these images in my mind the first time I walked past this abandoned ruins site in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
I was very clear what I wanted to show viewers through my photos – the background is dark, giving people a feeling of sadness and even depression. However, a classical ballerina is nice, clean and full of power, giving people positive energy. The contrast of the ballerina and the background should give viewers a feeling that the she is positive and devoted no matter what she’s faced with.
Scheduling a photo shooting of specific concept is not easy. Luckily I didn’t have much difficulty finding a ballet dancer in Kota Kinabalu. Thanks to a Couchsurfer who passed on a contact who passed on her contact, I met @veryjo beforehand to tell her my idea and made sure she understood well. It was a real exchange of art from artists of different fields.
It took another month till we finally confirmed the date and time for the photo shoot. I was hoping to shoot on a cloudy day to add some moody feel but it was so hard to find a suitable time for both of us. In the end, making it happen was more important than making it happen in the right weather.
Thanks for making the images in my mind become real! It was a great collaboration. For me it was an opportunity to learn other art forms, which I feel is very important. As a photographer, I’m constantly seeking for inspirations.