Things that a photographer learns along the way...

For those of you who don’t know me or what I do, I’ll give you the CliffsNotes version … I am a full time freelancer that drinks alot of coffee and loves ballet. However for those of you who do know me, know that one gift God didn’t give me unfortunately was the gift of dancing gracefully. So on that note, don’t worry this post is not about me attempting to perform swan lake in the living room … (I never did that … yet)

Last Saturday I got the chance to visit Edmond Performing Arts Center for the very first time to film for a client’s shoot, documenting the journey of his daughter’s experience as a ballerina and worshiper preparing for her recital in Edmond, OK. I hesitate on admitting that I have actually never heard of EPAC (Edmond Performing Arts Center) before even though I live in Edmond and am from Oklahoma … I must get out more! :)

Never the less I was truly touched by the welcoming atmosphere and sincerity that the organization fosters. While I was there filming for a full day’s stretch approaching this job as a documentarian/photojournalist I feel as though I have learned from this organization and the children both. It was truly inspiring watching the teachers prepare the kids for their performance, even up to the moment they were performing live … Behind the curtains I got to see the teachers eyes fill with pure joy and admiration for their prodigies.

Some teacher’s though they have probably seen the dance routine hundreds of times, it was as though it was for the very first time. I watched one teacher gaze at one of the performer’s as I saw her weep in sincere love for the child dancer on stage. And every moment the performer would gaze off to the right or left of the stage there eyes would meet with teachers on both ends of the stage dancing right along with them behind the curtains.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” - John 15:12

And after a performance was completed I would see some children running into the teachers arms for a big hug because after all of that hard work, they really did it! Not once did I ever see a glimpse of disappointment in their faces, not even when the dancer’s would be nervous or make a small mistake.

No the teacher’s were so loving as though the children were their own children. In fact all of the dancer’s fostered this attitude of love. They would be so proud of their co-dancer’s just as the teachers were. It truly was like like they were operating as a loving family looking after one another. I feel like we all could learn from them by their example.

“We love because He first loved us.” - 1 John 4:19

I do not have children yet, but some day when I do I know that this is definitely the kind of place I would love my daughter to be involved in. Now I know what some of you might be thinking right about now … She must be affiliated with them some how … Well, I hate to disappoint, but no, I’m not. I have no ties to them what so ever, I am just a photographer that got to see behind the curtain and fell in love all over again with the Spirit of Love that was living in this organization.

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