Oh how I have dreamt of the day I would get to photograph a ballerina! My dream finally came true, when an acquaintance of mine told me about Gwendoline. I got in contact with her right away and we clicked immediately. Gwen has the sweetest demeanor, and will put you in sheer ‘aah’ when you watch her graceful moves.
We are currently working together to create some art pieces for the Dance Loud Academy, and on the day of her photoshoot, I spent a little time capturing a few personal ones, just for Gwen. We all know, life gets in the way, it changes us in ways that we might not always think is good. However, when we take a bit of time for ourselves, we can always find and remember who we really are.
That was this EXPERIENCE for Gwen. Hannah Kuhary, my fabulous freelance makeup artist and I, created an experience for her she said she “will never forget.” She was pampered with professional hair & makeup, and in addition to her fabulous ballet wardrobe, we even created a one-of-a-kind dress for her to wear. It allowed her to step outside the traditional look of a ballerina, and allowed us to create priceless heirloom pieces.
Through my lens, I was able to capture who she thought she had lost over the past few years, and was able to remind her that yes, “she’s still got it.”
MEET GWEN:
Tell the viewers a bit about yourself:
I am an extremely passionate individual who believes every child deserves an outlet and the arts is a great one!
Q: What do you do? What is your business?
I am the dance director at Dance Loud Academy @ Bellaire.
Q: Where can people find your work?
We are located in the Bellaire Fitness Center
4330 Panther Drive
Bossier City LA 71112
Q: How did you get started in your field of work?
I started dancing at the age of 5 and never stopped. I started teaching at 16 in Georgia and moved to Louisiana on a dance scholarship. Graduated from NSU and kept the dancing up. I wanted to start a Dance Ministry and that’s when Bellaire Baptist opened their doors to me.
Q: Why is being your own BOSS, important to you? How do YOU define success?
I define success by having those dancers smile in class, having them say they want to be a dancer teacher when they grow up; or being the person they write about for essays. Being a positive influence in their life is a success star for me.
Q: What do you find is the most challenging about your work?
The most challenging part of my work is keeping the energy up and trying to balance the paper work with the physical activity.
Q: Tell us about the people you have met with your career?
I love my career because I get to travel as much or as little as I wish. I get the opportunity to network and meet some of the top dance instructors and choreographers in the world.
Q: Have you ever experienced gender discrimination, how did it effect you?
I have not.
Q: What advice would you give to women looking to start their own business?
Be Patient with yourself and be good at time management!
Q: Where do you want to be in 2, 5, 10 years?
In 2 years I would love for the business to grow by 60%. In 5 years I hope to have everything set up where I can stay at home with my child or go to office if I wish. In 10 years I would like to be retired- I don’t know how much more my feet can take 😉
Anything else you would like to say?
(It is really hard talking about yourself )
See her fusion video here: https://youtu.be/L4NKWkdOFUQ
BALLET PHOTOGRAPHER | BUSINESS MODEL PHOTOS | PAINTED PORTRAIT
Heather McKinney, professional photographer at HM Photography & Boutique, a North Texas veteran-owned business, is proud to offer professional photography & printed artwork for her clients & their families.
Our new custom built, private photography studio is located in Rhome, Texas with easy access just off highways 287 & 114, & serves the northwest Dallas Fort Worth Texas areas to include New Fairview, Aurora, Justin, Avondale, Haslet, Roanoke, Argyle, Lantana, Denton, Grapevine, Flower Mound, Keller, Trophy Club, Westlake, Northlake, Southlake, North Richland Hills, Eagle Mountain, Saginaw, Azle, Lake Worth, Weatherford, Pelican Bay, Paradise, Springtown, Bridgeport, Boyd, & Decatur.
Sessions are now booking through the end of the year & are typically booked up 4-8 weeks in advance. Please reach out as soon as possible, as not to miss out on limited availability, and assure plenty of time for planning.
To learn more about the studio & the HMPB experience, check out ‘The Experience’ page, here. You can also learn more about Heather, here.
Ready to have your own beautiful portraits created for yourself, business, family, newborn, or motherhood? I’d love to help plan a custom photoshoot, just for you!
Please use the contact form to get started or learn more.
Follow me on IG or FB for the latest at HMPB!
