When you see a photograph of a child spinning, balancing or flying through the air on an aerial hoop, it’s easy to admire the incredible skill. But have you ever wondered what goes into capturing that perfect shot?
This year marks my third year returning to Acrosphere to photograph these incredibly talented children, and every year I’m blown away by their skills and progress. It’s such a pleasure to be back, capturing new achievements and creating special memories for the children and their families.
My latest photoshoot was all about showcasing their amazing aerial skills, and I thought it would be lovely to share a little of what happens behind the scenes! 🤍
More than just taking a photograph
Photographing aerial acrobatics is such an exciting challenge. These aren’t simply moments where I can point my camera and hope for the best! Every photograph takes careful timing, the right angle, considered lighting and an eye for the position that will look most striking.
I’m watching the children’s movements, looking for beautiful lines and expressions, and waiting for that split second when everything comes together. Capturing a child mid-spin or in a challenging position takes concentration and quick reactions, as sometimes the perfect moment lasts only an instant!
But there’s another very important person involved in getting that shot just right: Katherine, their teacher.
Throughout the day, I captured some lovely moments of Katherine working hands-on with the children, helping them into position, guiding their movements and making those little adjustments that make such a difference. I love that these photographs show a little of what happens behind the scenes, too.
Katherine knows each child, understands their abilities and knows how to guide them safely into positions that show off their skills beautifully. Her knowledge and patience are invaluable, helping me capture the children at their best while I concentrate on the photography.
It’s a real team effort, combining her expertise with my photography skills to create images that showcase just how incredible these young performers are.
Behind The Scenes – The talent behind the photographs
The children have worked so hard to develop their strength, flexibility, control and confidence, and it’s wonderful to see what they can achieve. Some of the positions are seriously impressive, and the dedication behind them deserves to be celebrated!
A little mention must go to the parents, too. The gorgeous costumes really help bring each photograph to life, adding personality and colour to these already spectacular poses.
We spent a whole day working together to create these images, and I hope the children and their families will treasure them for years to come. These photographs capture more than a moment in the air; they celebrate the skills, progress and hard work that have gone into achieving it.
A lovely personal connection
My connection with Acrosphere began through Leyla’s mum, Stef, who used to visit me at my photography studio in Surbiton, where I had the pleasure of photographing Leyla when she was younger. When she thought of me to photograph the children at Acrosphere, it was such a lovely opportunity!
The first time I walked into Acrosphere, I was completely blown away by the children’s talent. After spending hours editing their photographs, I discovered they had a Christmas show coming up. I simply had to go and watch.
And here’s a little secret… I had tears in my eyes!
Seeing the children perform and watching all their hard work come together was genuinely moving. Having known Leyla since she was younger, seeing her now on the aerial hoop displaying such incredible talent absolutely blew me away.
It’s a real privilege to watch children grow, discover their abilities and achieve amazing things, and to capture photographs their families can look back on with pride.
A big thank you 🤍
A huge thank you to Katherine and Igor for welcoming me to Acrosphere and making the photoshoot such a wonderful experience. Katherine’s knowledge, patience and dedication to the children play such an important part in making these photographs possible, and I’m delighted to have captured a little of that behind-the-scenes magic, too.
Fancy trying something new?
If your child would love to learn new skills, build confidence and discover the exciting world of circus and aerial arts, why not find out more about classes at Acrosphere?
I’m so excited for the children and their families to see their photographs. There’s so much hard work behind every image, and I hope these pictures capture not only their incredible talent, but just how amazing they look doing it!
Photography By Orli – capturing the talent, the hard work and the moments you’ll want to remember forever. 🤍
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