What do you get when you play with swords and smoke? A fabulous photo shoot!
After working several weddings with Orlando wedding photographer Mandy Austin of LoveStorey Photography, I finally got her all to myself for a photo shoot right before the Holidays! But Mandy only had one request: we had to do something different than anything I’d ever shot before. That meant saving my “usual” bright, whimsical, fluffy stuff for another shoot, and exploring something darker, edgier, and sexier. (We also did a couple of shots with lighting inspired by Pantone’s 2014 Color of the Year, “Radiant Orchid”)
It was fun to slip into a “warrior goddess” persona for this shoot, and very fitting to channel some of the bad-ass feminine strength that I’ve been building. 2013 was full of ups and downs; opportunities gained and lost; and bullets dodged. I also returned to weightlifting and bodybuilding after 4 years out of the game. 2014 will undoubtedly be a year of confidence, and finding the gusto to say YES to my life. For this very reason, plus Mandy’s creativity and beautiful lighting, this was one of my all-time favorite belly dance photo shoots.
And, of course, a great creative team is the key to a successful shoot. I was thrilled to see my buddy Mike Lofaro with Rhythm of the Night Entertainment, who stopped by to bring his low-level fog machine! Normally used for a gorgeous “dancing on a cloud” effect for a couple’s first dance, we used it to create the effect of rising out of a genie bottle.
Our location was Digital Tiger Studios, located in Orlando near MCO. The owners Jon and Katrina were nice enough to let us shoot there before the studio opens to the public in January! And Katrina and her daughter Skyler did a phenomenal job styling my hair and makeup.
Here are just a few of my favorites from this amazing shoot. Enjoy!
