"The dance department approached us about working on a book with them where we would capture photos of dancers around campus in different settings and different seasons to showcase the department. We had some success in the fall, getting some nice shots but had been waiting for a good snowstorm for some winter imagery. We made sure to watch the forecast very closely, and the dance department had specific dancers ready on standby just in case it snowed. We had scheduled a shoot the evening before in anticipation of the snow, but when we saw in the morning that conditions were going to be perfect, we scheduled four more shoots with different groups to cram in that morning. It's been rare for us to have a nice snowfall, and even more rare to have a nice blue sky in the morning along with the fresh snow.
When I went to work that morning, I had no idea I was going to be taking these photos. The scheduling was very last minute. It seemed like a chaotic morning as we were trying to get all five of these photo shoots done before the sun got too high, especially since we didn't know if it was going to snow again this season."
From the Judges
This is an outstanding image that demonstrates attention to detail in setting up this beautiful portrait. The lighting, the ambiance, and the location on a knoll are essential elements, and the blowing snow is the cherry on top. This is a memorable photo by any standard.
