Just before a collective om from 100 yogis at the MFA
Triangle pose from above as reflected in the staircase at the MFA
Even from three stories high, the view is so expansive that to capture it all, I stitched together three separate photographs to create this composite image
A few friends gather after the class to pose with the beautiful Chihuly sculpture
On January 9th, I had the unique pleasure of photographing a yoga class at one of the most zen places I have ever visited. That may sound pretty lofty, or even cliche, but I truly have always loved my dates to the MFA and specifically the Shapiro Family Courtyard. My switch from Corporate Marketing to Professional Photography in early 2014 brought me complete flexibility, including crafting my own schedule and sourcing my own inspiration. So while I have lived in Boston for over a decade, I found my annual trips to the MFA become monthly and my inspiration expand at each visit. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when the MFA contacted me to photograph the first yoga class in their series Namaste Saturday, a monthly rotational yoga class held on the second Saturday of the month, January through June. They have an amazing line up of yoga teachers {Sara DiVello, Daniel Max, Shuli Burke, Ame Wren, Rachel Barringer and Dave Magone} and I am thrilled that I got to work with Sara DiVello, author of Where in the OM am I? for the kick off class. Sara is one of those people who instantly becomes your friend, the kind with the infectious smile and down to earth attitude that, from my perspective, is an absolute joy to photograph. She is a teacher who truly embodies the meaning of yoga; there's no ego, just a heart full of love and a strong class to lift everyone in the room.
The crowd was a mix of MFA members and nonmembers, all ages and experiences with yoga. At most yoga events that I photograph, I have met and usually photographed at least half of the participants. In this crowd of 100, I knew only one. And while I love my hugs and catch up time, I was actually really happy see yoga spread to so many new faces. I overheard participants talking about this being their first class and nonmembers talking about how they hadn't visited in the MFA in a long time. The fact that this event was able to spread yoga and museum appreciation at the same time, well that's pretty amazing if you ask me. And, back to that beautiful space ... the courtyard extends three stories tall with floor to ceiling glass window walls filled with gorgeous distilled light from the cloudy morning. The class was held before the museum opened so the only sounds were the curated music, Sarah's teachings, and the collective breath and movement. The area is bookmarked with two amazing sculptures including the tallest Chihuly glass piece I have ever seen. {Yes, it extends all three stories!} There was an energy in the space that was calm and joyful at the same time.
I highly recommend attending a future class at the MFA, visiting the museum's collections and exhibitions {specifically the Kenneth Paul Block fashion illustrations in charcoal and watercolor}, and grabbing a bite to eat at the New American Cafe or a coffee at the Taste Cafe. You very well might see me there.
For your viewing pleasure, here are a few more previews from the day.
And, please enjoy the full collection of photographs from the first Namaste Saturday at the MFA with Sara DiVello.
From this link you can view nearly 100 images, download them to your smart phone or computer, post to social media, and even order prints from the event with at-cost pricing.
