In August 2020, after lockdown restrictions were easing in England, I was lucky enough to gain access to some swimming pools at Larkfield Leisure Centre, Kent, UK, and use them for a filming session and a photoshoot. They had been empty for a while, during which the roof had been replaced, and I managed to squeeze in this shoot just before they were refilled after nearly a year of being empty! I had daydreamed of doing a shoot in an empty swimming pool for a long time, and couldn't wait to get going!
The photo of the girls laying on the floor surrounded by flowers is the only one I had really planned; all the others came whilst experimenting with the dancers and exploring the incredible space. We had a few strange looks from passers by, but it was completely worth it! I had brought some flowers along as a prop simply because I thought it would be a nice juxtaposition of the softness and colours of the petals, against the harsh, starker setting of the pool.
We worked in groups of twos and threes to adhere to social distancing, and it also meant I could pay more attention to each dancer during the process.
I really appreciated how each person brought something different to the shoot. They were so creative and willing to work hard.
As well as doing some dance photos, I wanted to get some more natural portraits of the girls. It turns out they are all natural models and know how to get the camera to love them! You will find some of the portraits below.
I'd like to say a huge thank you to the girls who danced beautifully for the filming and worked brilliantly for the photos. Thank you to Julie from Prima Stage School for helping to make the shoot possible and for being the girls' assistant! Also a big thanks to Larkfield Leisure Centre for allowing us to use their pools.
