When I first laid eyes upon this stunning shoot designed by photographer & cinematographer team Josh and Serena, and event designer Elizabeth Gopal of East Made Event Company, I was deeply and utterly moved – not only by its obvious artistry, but by how it profoundly captures the feeling of love between two people. With all of the turmoil currently going on in this world, I felt compelled to share something so undeniably touching and beautiful for you to rest your eyes on. And just for an instant, be swept up in this ethereal moment in time through love, dance, and architecture…
Josh and Serena tell us more about the inspiration behind the shoot, “The concept for this shoot began with one word: movement. We had been longing to collaborate on a piece that was centered around the love of two dancers.
“Josh was inspired by the emotional side of dancing. The beginning of the film centers on the isolation and subtle movement before the two lovers meet. A combination of pronounced cinematic movement and raw “handheld” camera work strives to convey a dance of both elegance and emotion.”
Elizabeth Gopal of East Made Event Company gives us details behind the design of the shoot, “When designing this shoot, I used shades of dusty lilac, fig, and muted gold to create a moody spring color palette with a touch of black. At the time, Alexandra Grecco featured a delicate lilac cami and skirt in her newest bridal collection, which fit into our theme perfectly and provided contrast to the flowy, ivory Elizabeth Dye gown. I thought about movement in every detail of the shoot: how the gowns would swoop as our ballerina danced, the cascading table linen from Adorn Company, the diagonal florals and cake pattern, and the hand-marbled paper and sheet music calligraphy envelope liner. My goal was to have every element of the shoot have a purpose and connection to our dancing couple.
“We were so thrilled to work with Kirk and Valerie Henning as the dancers for this collaboration; they are a real life married couple and are also professional ballet dancers with the Richmond Ballet.”
Don’t miss the gorgeous must-see Pas de Deux video of Kirk and Valerie dancing at the end of the feature.
An expansive 27,000 sq ft Tudor-Revival mansion originally built by Architect John Russell Pope for financier John Kerr Branch in 1919, the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design in Richmond, Virginia is a true work of art. With it’s soaring ceilings, marble floors, and large antique windows, it was the perfect setting for this light-filled romantic shoot. Now a national historic landmark, the museum is open for house tours and architectural and design exhibitions like their current one on the landscape architecture legacy of Dan Kiley.
I hope these photos and video will inspire people to attend a ballet, symphony concert, or other live performance and take pleasure in the beauty of music, dance, and architecture. Event Designer, Elizabeth Gopal
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