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Bria at the Beach: A Dance-Inspired Sunset Session at Sandy Point State Park

By: Cynthia Bennett Photography

There are some portrait sessions where posing is only part of the story. With Bria, movement is the story.

For this dance-inspired portrait session, we headed to Sandy Point State Park in Maryland, where the sand, shoreline and open sky gave us the perfect backdrop for an evening of movement, strength and creativity.

Bria has been dancing for as long as she can remember. Dance isn't simply something she enjoys—it's a major part of who she is. She earned her degree in dance and continues to share that passion with others as an instructor, including teaching heels classes.

So when we started planning this session, I knew I didn't want to photograph her standing on a beach simply looking beautiful. I wanted the photographs to feel like Bria.

 

 

Photographing Movement

We created a mix of traditional portraiture and dance-inspired imagery throughout the evening.

Some photographs focused on long, ballet-inspired lines and controlled movements. Others were bigger and more athletic—extensions, leaps, floor work and poses that allowed Bria to use the entire landscape around her.

One of my favorite things about photographing dancers is the difference between simply asking someone to pose and giving a dancer space to move. There is an awareness of the hands, feet, shoulders, lines and negative space that comes from years of training.

And Bria could move.

Against the simplicity of the water and horizon, her movements became the focus of the photographs. On the sand, we could create stronger shapes and lower poses. And when we brought in the flowing floral dress, the fabric introduced another layer of movement to the images.

Chasing the Sunset

Of course, when you're planning an outdoor sunset session, Mother Nature always gets a vote.

We were hoping for one of those spectacular Maryland sunsets filled with dramatic clouds and intense color. The evening gave us beautiful soft light, but the sunset itself wasn't quite as dramatic as we had imagined.

So we got creative.

For a few of the finished photographs, I added subtle sun flares and light rays during the editing process to amplify the warmth and atmosphere that we were already seeing during the session.

The goal wasn't to completely change the environment. It was to use the final edit as another creative tool—much like choosing a lens, adding a strobe or positioning a subject—to create the feeling we envisioned for the photograph.

From Golden Hour to Blue Hour

As the sun disappeared, the session changed again.

Bria switched into warm brown tones and a crochet beach look, and we moved closer to the water. The cooler blue evening sky against the warmth of her skin and wardrobe gave this portion of the session a completely different mood—quieter, stronger and a little more editorial.

That variety is one of the reasons I love creating sessions with multiple looks. Within one location, we were able to move from light and airy dance portraits to dramatic movement photographs and finally into rich, moodier beach imagery.

Portraits That Tell More of Your Story

A portrait session doesn't have to be limited to traditional poses.

If you're a dancer, dance instructor, fitness professional, performer, artist or creative entrepreneur, your photographs can show what you actually do.

They can capture movement.

They can show personality.

They can communicate the energy of your brand.

And sometimes, they can simply celebrate something that has been part of your life for as long as you can remember.

Bria's Sandy Point session was all of those things—and a reminder that some of my favorite portraits happen when we stop thinking about posing and start thinking about story, movement and expression.

Interested in creating your own dance, movement or personal branding session? Let's create something that feels like you.
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