I met this beautiful lady named Alex through mutual social media follows! The are a lot of problems with social media, but it can be really beautiful when used for it's intended purpose - to connect people. Alex reached out to me via Instagram about collaborating on a shoot. I was hesitant at first solely for the fact that it was my busy season for weddings, but I'm constantly reminding myself that I need to create things for fun too, even in those busy times. This shoot definitely gave me a creative release that I needed even in the busiest of times!
Alex and I were back and forth, sending each other concept ideas, she was sending me outfit choices, which I couldn't be happier with what we settled on! After chatting for a bit a figured I pitch the idea of doing a sunrise shoot. If it were practical to only shoot during sunrise and sunset for that rich and inspiring lighting, I totally would. I love the warmth and the flares you can get naturally only at these times of the day. Most people aren't really willing to get up at the crack of dawn particularly for a for fun photo shoot, but Alex immediately responded with excited and was all in!
We met at Phipps Conservatory in Oakland before the sun even crossed above the horizon. We started with outfit number one and utilized the soft purple lighting and sky. The ponds outside of the conservatory were completely still so we were able to get a bunch of interesting reflection shots. As the sun continued to rise and the light become perfect, I had Alex change into the outfit we'd been anticipating. She bought a bright red chiffon type skirt off of Amazon that was perfect to catch the light and play a little with the fabric. We bounced back between Schenley Park and the outside gardens at Phipps. As the light was blaring through the clouds we popped over to the bridge. Alex is also a dancer, so we played around with some dancing poses as well.
We then made our way back to a wall of tall trees beside Phipps where I utilized my new wide angle lens which was perfect for a shot like this! I've also been trying to play with harsh light since it's something I rarely do, and I see a lot of other photographers doing really well which inspired me to try something new! We then made our way up Flagstaff Hill, stopping to get some shots on the dewey hillside, and finishing out shoot with some action shots of some dance moves on the stone stairs. These are some of my favorite photos, and I'm glad that even during the busy season, I'm able to get up before dawn and create some art with someone new!
Model : Alex Manalo - @alexmanalo_
