22nd Annual Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contest
Second Place, Portraits - Youth 17 and Under

"Dance with the Sun"

By Alisha Nayak

Artist Statement:

My photo shows a friend of mine, Nishka. She is a very close friend, and so she is the model for many of my pictures. She and I have a lot of fun together with her posing for my camera. In this image, taken in her backyard, she is dancing a traditional Indian dance. She is preparing for her first solo performance. I enjoy watching her dance because when she dances, she transforms into a completely different person.

Judge's Comment:

Second-place winner Alisha Nayak used color to her advantage, effectively capturing her subject's intense focus. In "Dance With the Sun," the dancer's outstretched arms helped frame and contain this composition.

— Angela Buenning Filo