From dancer to photographer: My creative journey

From dancer to photographer: My creative journey

Before I ever picked up a camera, I danced.

Dance has always been my first creative love. It taught me how to tell stories without saying a word. It taught me about light, movement, emotion, and how small details can completely shift the energy of a moment. I spent years performing and teaching, always inspired by the feeling of capturing something fleeting—a glance, a motion, a breath.

That instinct to notice and hold onto moments is exactly what led me to photography.

At first, I started taking photos in the studio and at rehearsals, mostly for fun. I loved freezing a jump mid-air or catching a quiet expression before a performance. I didn’t plan to become a photographer. But slowly, people started asking for photos, then recommending me to their friends, and eventually I realized this was becoming more than a side project.

Photography gave me a new way to express what dance had always helped me feel. It gave me tools to shape light, to frame emotion, to find beauty in the in-between. Whether I’m photographing preschoolers, musicians, or families, I approach each session with the same mindset I had on stage: presence, intuition, and a deep love for the moment.

I’m still growing and learning, but at the heart of everything is that same creative spark I found in dance. I’m just holding a camera now instead of standing in the spotlight.

Thanks for being here and for letting me share my journey.

—Alexis