10/05/2022
“Taking photos was natural; it didn’t seem like work, it was fun,” Miranda Eldridge said. “My dance background helped because I understand how movement works, so I can see how the composition is moving through a photo.”
Last November, she went to a regional Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Latham because she knew Dovolani was teaching. “When a professional I know is teaching master classes, I go for fun,” she said.
When she arrived, the owners said, “Wait a minute! Don’t you take photos?” They needed someone to shoot an upcoming competition. “The studio owners brought me into the office to show Tony my portfolio. He didn’t realize who they were bringing in, so when I walked in, he said, ‘This is who you’re interviewing? I’ve known her forever.’”
“I got a really lucky in because there’s kind of a monopoly on ballroom dance photography, with like four photographers who have the whole industry,” she marveled.
Now, she shoots regional competitions, hiring a few photography students to help ensure full coverage of the events, in which Eldridge often takes 10,000 photos in a weekend. “I want people who are going to grow with me,” she said.
She still regularly turns to Prof. Renee O’Brien. “Any time I have any question about photography or even just need advice, Renee responds immediately,” Eldridge said. “Once in a while you find someone who leaves an impression on your life and she’s one of those people. I learned a lot of skills, but the biggest thing I took from SUNY Adirondack is that support.”
For more on Eldridge and other impressive alumni, visit https://fal.cn/3su8S for our alumni collective, “Community Roots.”
