On Sunday night, I was a photographer at an Indian performance. I actually don't know much about the Indian culture except what a couple of friends have told me about. The students were performing "Kathak" which is an Indian physical expression of dance. From what I saw, it was supposed to be emotional yet elegant at the same time. Here are some random photos that I took:
What surprised me most was how long it took to prepare for the dance. I was there from 4 PM to 9:30 at night, but I was watching the performance from 5:30 on. Backstage, I watched the girls hectically (is that a word?) prepare for their dance. This girl in the picture above had flowers in her hair to cover the rubber bands tied into her head. Each girl was actually dressed and putting on make up by the time I had arrived there. Most of them started getting dressed at around 2 PM and by the time the performance came on at 5:30, they still weren't quite finished.
In this photo, a mother helps her daughter tie her sari around her while she patiently waits. The whole process of tying things and making sure they don't come loose during the dance took the majority of the time. (I love the colors of their outfits).
What makes Kathak so interesting is that they have these "bells" on their legs. I'm not quite sure what they're called (although I should know by now), but when the dancers dance, they make bell-like noises that add to the beat and rhythm of the song. The beauty of it, is that the dancers also turn with their footwork. I not only love the color schemes of the outfits, but I also love how the dresses will fly and twirl with the dancer.
Here's an example of what the outfits looked like. I adore the contrast of bright red behind the darkness of nighttime. The outfits are so intricate, that it's amazing how it was made. "It was hand-stitched," one person said to me. Evidently, that's what makes the outfit so heavy and so expensive.
These two girls are actually sisters. What I love is the jewelry and the way their faces are made up. Their necklaces and earrings match what they're wearing, and their make up also has to be completely flawless for the whole "look" to work.
Overall, it was an amazing experience to see how the Indian culture works- their outfits are absolutely gorgeous and you can definitely tell how much time and dedication they put into the performance to make sure it's as perfect as possible.
This new brand "Milly" designed by Michelle Smith seems to have gotten the whole idea of "black and white" elegance. It's premiering this Fall and some of the more work-oriented clothes are very pretty.
I love the way this dress seems to flow perfectly. It's kind of a more adult version of Little Bo Peep (remember her?) and redefines youth and elegance.
If you don't know me by now, I'm a big fan of contrasting colors. I love the playfulness of the bright pink skirt compared to the black jacket, tights, and shirt.
My internship started on Monday with an orientation and a tour. I was able to see the printing presses and the machines (they're three floors high!). I was amazed at how people worked to make an excellent magazine and newspaper, and I am really excited to be working. From what my editor told me, I will mainly be assisting the photographer down in Newport Beach when we will be shooting at the large multi-billion dollar homes. I will also be doing some copy editing and some writing, in addition to a number of other things. I hope everybody is having fun working at their respective job (if you have one this summer), and do tell me how exciting yours is and what you're doing, I know a couple of you guys are down in New York having the time of your lives. If not, I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves on your summer vacations.
