SWAN LAKE on Display at Messe Basel (NEW DATE!)

Swan Lake – Photography Ballet Fairy Tale will be on display at Messe Basel 5–21 September 2008. Be sure to stop by! ATTENTION: The opening is on the 5th (NOT the 15th as previously announced). Details will follow.

Swan Lake Earned Me a Bachelor’s Degree

It’s official — I finished the project last minute as I usually do and presented the results on Wednesday. The team of experts then had a brief meeting and gave me a passing grade. So, yaaay, I am now officially a college graduate.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED MAKING THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS — and no, I will not share the final images here. Well, not now anyway — I would like to keep the tableaus under tap until the show in September (mark your calendars: MESSE BASEL, SEPT 15–21).

In the spirit of celebration I would like to share a video that’s only slightly dance-related but nonetheless heart-warming and a beautiful example of how dance — even in it’s silliest form — can bring people together. Thanks to Max for passing this on to me, please visit Matt’s website (that’s the guy in the video).

For higher quality: Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Impressions From the Last Shoot

The deadline is approaching fast… And so, this past Tuesday, we were doing one last shoot. It was supposed to be held on location by the swan pool, but rain prohibited us from it. Hence it turned into yet another studio shoot. And with my usual digital back unavailable from the rental place, I was shooting with a very dirty Imacon sensor on a Hassy. So, with hours of Photoshop awaiting me, here are a few (pretty much) unedited shots:

Scene: Deception and Remorse

I am en route in finding a way of combining the photographs into tableaus…

Von Rothbart deceives Prince Siegfried

The Ever-Expanding Team

Along with the project itself, the team too has seen some major growth over the past weeks. I would like to acknowledge the people who have recently joined the Swan Lake team (in alphabetical order):

• Dan Cajöri assisted me on the big “On Black” studio shoot on June 9.
• Julia Clausen posed as the Purple Princess and has helped with the make-up on the “Bridal Show” shoot on May 26.
• Maria Heijbel posed as the Turquoise Princess for the “Bridal Show” shoot on May 26.
• Tom Koritschan assisted me on location on the “Unwilling to Marry” shoot on May 10.
• Sara Magnaguagno posed as the Green Princess for the “Bridal Show” shoot on May 26.
• Helge Philipp, eurhythmics dancer and teacher, has joined the cast in the role of Von Rothbart.
• Kambiz Shafei assisted me on the “Red on Red” (studio, April 20), “Blue on Blue” (studio, May 11), “Swan Pool” (on location, May 19) and the big “On Black” (studio, June 9) shoots.
• Frederick Tischhauser assisted me on the “Bridal Show” shoot on May 26.
• Maika Tischhauser posed as the Yellow Princess for the “Bridal Show” shoot on May 26.

Re-Introducing Von Rothbart

After having originally omitted von Rothbart — the “evil genie” in Swan Lake — from my version, I have reconsidered after lady luck (or, more accurately one of the collaborating dancers) tossed another dancer in my lap. Without further ado, I present to you: Helge Philipp as von Rothbart.

Scene: Bridal Candidates Fighting Over Prince Siegfried

Prince Siegfried doesn’t have it easy… His mother wants him to marry and presents him with a wild bunch of aggressive princesses from the neighboring kingdoms.

Experimenting with Combination Techniques

Using the photographs from the swan pool shoot I was experimenting with finding different ways of combining shots.

Scenes at the Lake

On Monday I was shooting with Wout Geers (Prince Siegfried) and Giovanna de Caro (Odette) on location at what I call the swan pool (in reality a little public pool close to the Swiss/German border in Basel). — Here are a few quick picks and edits. As always, these are in no way final.

Prince Siegfried is hunting swans, when he notices one of them changing into a beautiful girl.

Prince Siegfried swears his undying love for Odette.

Realizing that the spell can never be broken, Odette and Siegfried decide to unite in death.

Blue Portraits: The Sovereign Princess and her son, Prince Siegfried

A few edits from the studio shoot with Heidi Köpfer as the Sovereign Princess and Wout Geers as her son, Prince Siegfried: