One of my dreams that I've had for the longest time was to have a dance photoshoot with Sharkcookie (a.k.a. David Hofmann)! Now many of you will probably know who he is, as he has taken many photos of amazing dancers such as Sophia Lucia, Jordyn Jones, Christina Ricucci, Chloe Lukasiak, as well as his own daughter, Avaree Harris, to name a few! For those of you who don't know who he is, he's an amazing photographer in LA, California, USA, who is known for his dance photography at the beach, studio, and in water (which I still find absolutely amazing)! :) Along with that he takes photos for models, weddings, couples, and under water (again amazing!)! The way I originally found out about Sharkcookie was through the many photos taken by him on Instagram that were posted by many of the famous dancers, instantly I saw how amazing these photos were and knew that if I was going to have photos taken I would want them taken by him.
Initially my parents weren't very thrilled about the idea because of the travel distance, as we live in BC, as well as the cost of the photoshoot, but from my experience I feel it's worth all the effort!
For dance photoshoots there are typically two main packages: a 4-hour photoshoot (studio and outdoor location) and a 6-hour photoshoot (studio, outdoors, and beach). And of course, the one that I really wanted was the 6 hour photoshoot because one of David's signature locations besides the train tracks are his amazing beach photos (especially since the beaches in LA are always so pretty!)
Anyways, for a long time nothing happened and I really wanted to have a dance photoshoot, but didn't know how I was going to make it happen. I even wrote my goal down on my bucket list as one of the things I really needed to do. My dad laughed at this idea originally, but it was just because he didn't know how I was going to make that happen. Also one of the main reasons why I wanted a dance photoshoot was so that later on in life, I could remember what I was able to do that would document my dancing experience. Since I hadn't participatted in any competitions before and I thought that by having these photos taken it would capsulize my love of dancing forever! Further, since this would be my last year that I'd be doing a lot of dance since I'd be graduating high school soon, I really wanted to have something to show my love for dance and my entire experience!
So one day, my parents told me that we were going to go to LA for Disney, and my immediate thought was Sharkcookie! I immediately brought it up, but they weren't as enthusiastic about the idea as I was, which was what I expected. So then my parents thought it over and told me that if I was willing to pay for the deposit myself then they would think about it.
So what did I do next? Something completely unexpected by my parents, I started to counting up all my money that I had saved over the years! I only like to spend money on things that I think are very worthwhile, and this was definitely worthwhile! After a few hours, I was able to come up with money for the deposit and my parents were completely shocked that I was willing to spend my own money, so then we emailed David that night to see if he was available.
After a few emails we were able to figure out the date and Sharkcookie was really nice about it, and finally it was that week! I was thrilled, I packed a huge suitcase filled with different outfits, anticipating the photoshoot day, and I even added in some acro classes beforehand (although I didn't quite learn enough in time, the intention was there :)! I was so starstruck and excited to meet David that day that I barely knew what to say! We started out the day at the studio and from there moved on to the park (which my mom loved because of all of the trees :), and then finally, to the beach! Throughout the day from the beginning to the end, he was very patient and kind, and I would definitely recommend booking a photoshoot with him, if you're ever planning on having dance photos taken, he's amazing!
He takes great quality photos and really takes the time to know the dancer so he can bring out their best! After having done a photoshoot with David, my parents now understand why I wanted it in the first place, and that it's definitely worth it! Now I just have to see if I can have another photoshoot, as I had so much fun the first time (hehehe), we'll see. :)
In conclusion, if you are a dancer then you should definitely make it a priority to have a photoshoot with David (aka Sharkcookie) and I guarantee you that you won't be disappointed, plus you'll have an amazing day filled with fun and California sunshine!
Take care,
Lauren
Be sure to check out the photos below of me and David at the end of the photoshoot!
Here are some of the amazing photos that David took of me that day! :)
Check out his website here: sharkcookie.com
If you would like to book a photoshoot with him or have any questions about them you can contact him on his website by emailing him :)
He also has an Instagram page full of his photos that he has done with other dancers as well that you can check out here: https://instagram.com/sharkcookie/
Check out his Facebook Page for more inspiration: www.facebook.com/Sharkcookie
Check out his Twitter account for more updates: https://twitter.com/sharkcookie
Updated: July 30th, 2020
Photos 1-3 taken for (c) Dance News BC 2015 and Photos 4-6 taken by (c) Sharkcookie Photography 2015