Capturing Magic: A Winter Levitation and Dance Photoshoot with Stefi Chertsova

As winter wrapped its icy embrace around Edinburgh, the serene beauty of Blackford Hill’s forest drew me in. With its bare trees stretching towards the sky, it offered a picturesque backdrop for a dance photoshoot.

Dancer Stefi Chertsova in the winter forest on Blackford Hill — In this setup, I wanted to contrast the small human figure with the tall trees.

Teaming up with the talented dancer Stefi Chertsova, we embarked on a creative journey to capture the ethereal essence of movement amidst nature’s winter palette.

The decision to shoot during winter was intentional. With the trees stripped of their foliage, the stark branches created a captivating visual contrast against the muted landscape. It was a canvas Stefi’s graceful movements would soon animate.

Dance photo shoot in the forest, Edinburgh — I just let Stefi go through a variety of poses.

I opted for my trusty telephoto zoom lens. Its ability to compress perspective allowed me to bring the distant trees closer together, intensifying the feeling of intimacy within the forest. As Stefi posed among the trees, the lens captured each movement, emphasizing the harmony between the dancer and the environment.

Stefi Chertsova doing a dance pose in the forest of Blackford Hill — I always let dancers chose the poses they like best.

One of the highlights of the shoot was our exploration of levitation photography. With Stefi’s talent and agility, we transformed fleeting moments into timeless images of weightlessness. Against the wintry backdrop, her suspended form seemed to defy gravity, adding an element of enchantment to the scene.

Levitation shot in the forest of Blackford Hill — I chose a low point of view to clearly showcase the levitation effect.

Drawing upon my expertise in Photoshop, I transformed our daytime captures into mesmerizing night scenes. By adjusting the lighting and adding subtle touches of moonlight, I breathed new life into the images, infusing them with a dreamlike quality that transported viewers to a world where time stood still.

Dancer Stefi amongst winter trees — I also toned the colour images using a gradient map in Photoshop.

But our journey didn’t end there. Inspired by the timeless elegance of black and white photography, I created monochrome versions of most of the dance pictures. Stripping away colour revealed new depths of emotion and expression, allowing viewers to focus on the interplay of light and shadow, movement and stillness.

Stefi doing a pose on the ground in the forest — The shoot ended with a few poses on the ground.

Reflecting on our winter dance photoshoot, I am impressed by the synergy between artistry and nature. Each step and every pose was a testament to the beauty of collaboration, where the dancer and photographer merged their talents to create something truly extraordinary. It was a reminder of the boundless creative potential within the intersection of science and art, where technical expertise meets artistic vision.