Another birthday gift

Another of my birthday gifts for today. Many of my favourite photographs have been taken by Life Magazine photographers over the years so my wife got me a copy of "The Great Life Photographers", amongst other gifts, for my birthday. Some of my favourite photos by these photographers are iconic and well known, while others much less so.

This is a shot of Gelsey Kirkland, an incredibly talented and famous bellerina, taken during preparation for a performance of Firebird for the New York City Ballet in 1970, when she was a soloist and still only 17. This is one of my favourite photos for a number of reasons. The subject of the photograph is beautiful, talented, and an inspirational performer. The shot itself has qualities of an oil painting; the focus and light so clearly highlighting the grace, calmness, and focus of the dancer in the moments before her performance while in deep shadows around her the production team work to make sure every little detail is perfect. I suppose it's a bit like a swan; grace and beauty on the surface with hard work hidden underneath.