Before the world turned upside down and halted performances at the Meyerson Symphony Center, Gittings was able to create the official portrait of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO).
Wiggly babies, curious pets, tricky locations – Gittings’ photographers are trained to take on the challenge and never sacrifice quality in the process. That’s why, as a treasured charitable partner, the DSO trusts Gittings to capture the first official portrait of the famed orchestra with Maestro Fabio Luisi.
A Fine-Tuned Process
As you can imagine, capturing more than 100 individuals in one portrait is no easy feat. However, Gittings is proud to donate its portrait photography expertise to nonprofit organizations like the DSO, which has been a cherished partner since the Meyerson first opened in 1989. After orchestrating this undertaking many times, Gittings has fine-tuned the process for a session of this magnitude.
Scheduling hurdles this year required the portrait session to take place immediately following a Friday night performance of Strauss’s “Alpine Symphony & Beethoven Emperor Concerto.”This meant a lightning-fast transition from concert stage set-up to portrait-ready. Lighting was added and refocused, the immense sound canopy raised; music stands and microphone cables removed, and chairs strategically placed. Then, of course, multiple cameras were precisely set in preparation for the perfect portrait.
Teamwork and Top-Notch Images
Finally, it’s time to place the musicians. Gittings’ photographers, Rick Bettinger and Ryan Johnson combined their expertise to make sure no detail was left unnoticed. Tedious adjustments were made with support from symphony staff and the Meyerson stage crew to secure top-notch images. After a late night of diligent work, all were dismissed knowing more than one masterpiece took place on the stage that night.
In addition to the orchestra portrait, Gittings is also proud to create the professional portraits displayed in the Principal Artist Gallery on the lower level of the Meyerson next to the box office. Be sure to look for both displays once the DSO is able to return to live performances.
If there is an organization or cause near to your heart that could benefit from Gittings’ services, reach out to our staff at any of our four locations. We’d love to explore creative ways to give back.