Ballet
Ballet is a breathtaking photographic collection, celebrating the precision, athleticism and artistry of classical and contemporary ballet.
Live performances allow us to admire ballet’s visual splendour from afar, but rarely are we given the opportunity to study dynamic poses, leaps and lifts in intimate, close-up detail. An inspirational companion for dance aficionados, performing arts enthusiasts and keen photographers, Ballet captures awe-inspiring moments performed by the art form’s most remarkable talents. Leo Mason’s arresting images provide a unique glimpse into the world of ballet and its superstars, featuring a cast of former and current principal dancers including Carlos Acosta, Tamara Rojo, Vadim Muntagirov, Daria Klimentova and Ivan Vasiliev.
With over 40 years’ experience as a sports and dance photographer, Leo recreates the beauty and seemingly effortless nature of the discipline – made even more remarkable by the gruelling training required to achieve perfection – and often uses exposure creatively to capture movement and compose striking images. Each photograph is accompanied by a detailed caption, providing information on the performers, work, location and date, along with technical specifications regarding camera equipment, exposure and aperture.
Includes images of: Carlos Acosta, Tamara Rojo, Vadim Muntagirov, Daria Klimentova and Ivan Vasiliev at the Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells and the London Coliseum.
Leo Mason is a UK-based professional photographer, specializing in sports and dance photography.
Early in his career, Leo worked at The Observer and other national newspapers before forming the Split Second Photo Agency. He has spent the last 40 years photographing global sports events, including the Olympics, Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Tour de France, Wimbledon and the Superbowl. His work has appeared in Time magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Life magazine, GQ and USA Today.
Since 2009, Leo has photographed some of the world’s best principal dancers and ballerinas, including Carlos Acosta, Natalia Osipova, Tamara Rojo, Vadim Muntagirov, Daria Klimentova, Ivan Vasiliev, shooting on location at the Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells and the London Coliseum. He has also shot all forms of contemporary dance company productions, including flamenco, hip hop and Argentinian tango, and specializes in multiple exposure photography.
Leo lives in Brighton, UK.