Ashley Deranhas been dancing since the age of three but has just recently begun her exploration into the world of photography. A mover and choreographer at heart, she stumbled into dance photography almost by accident when a friend needed some shots for an upcoming audition. She quickly realized her love for shape and natural sense of timing translated incredibly well into images and founded A.Deran Photography.
A self-taught photographer, she is learning more and more with each image she captures. Like her choreography, she likes to think her photography is in a state of constant flux, continually trying to explore and challenge the status quo of dance. Ashley has enjoyed capturing dancers both in the studio and “under the beautiful, sunny skies of Chicago.”
“Like many artists,” Ashley says, “I find myself frequently caught up in the rush of everyday life but happily find solace and beauty in suspending time with images that exude breath, passion, and life.”
These photos, taken outside a performing arts center in the suburbs of Chicago, feature dancers Anna Berg (Drape) and Shealyn Clark (Suspend), and were some of Ashley’s first photos of the past summer.
About the photographer: Ashley Deran is a native of the Chicago land area but looks forward to completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance this school year at Western Michigan University. At WMU she has had the pleasure of working with many world-renowned guest artists such as Autumn Eckman, Willy Shives, Derrick Alfonso Evans, Chopper Platt, and Jason McDole. Ashley has also had her choreography produced in several WMU concerts. Most recently she has established her newest project, A.Deran Photography. She is constantly looking for new movers who are willing to share their artistic soul and hopes to continue her photography in conjuncture with her choreography and performing. You can see more work from A.Deran and contact her via the ADeranPhotography page on Facebook or her website, www.aderanphoto.com
Nichelle Suzanne is a writer specializing in dance and online content. She is also a dance instructor with over 20 years experience teaching in dance studios, community programs, and colleges. She began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with a passion for movement education and an intuitive sense that a blog could bring dancers together. As a Houston-based dance writer, Nichelle covers dance performance for Dance Source Houston, Arts+Culture Texas, and other publications. She is a leader in social media within the dance community and has presented on blogging for dance organizations, including Dance/USA. Nichelle provides web consulting and writing services for dancers, dance schools and studios, and those beyond the dance world. Read Nichelle’s posts.
