Margo Moritz

Biography

Click on this link to see photographer Margo Moritz share the thought and photographic process behind her original dance inspired photographs. Margo graciously took a few minutes of her time to share her thoughts with us at this years Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach, California.

 

Margo Moritz, born and raised in Laguna Beach, was introduced to traditional photography at a young age. She studied both passions of dance and photography while receiving her BA from UC Santa Barbara, her MFA in photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and living abroad in Italy. She will be exhibiting in the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach for the 3rd consecutive year in 2010. In addition to her fine art dance work, she has shot a Prada fashion spread and shoots regularly with dance companies such as Oberlin Dance Collective and RoCo. 

Artist Statement

Drawing inspiration from her dance background, the Movement Series and Falling Series explore movement beyond typical dance photography. The Movement Series is shot out of focus, creating an abstraction between the viewer and subject. Margo directed the dancers to explore ideas like tension and awkwardness, while trying to balance the natural elegance of their movement. The soft, clean quality of the light and the white and nude colors are meant to feel open and peaceful, in contrast to the subtle awkwardness of the body.

 

The Falling Series is an attempt to capture a moment where the body is suspended from gravity, and the result is an enigmatic and unusual combination of violence and grace. The girls maintain effortless fluidity while abandoning control of their bodies, as if floating underwater.

Art Education

BA from UC Santa Barbara,  MFA from Academy of Art, program in Florence, Italy.