Hello all you lovely people joining us for this years Tribal Ford.
I wanted to let those of you know who don’t already about Polstar the wonderful photographer. She may join us at Ford but obviously needs to know if you would be interested in having a session with her. Imagine the potential backdrops to a photo shoot for you and your group in and around the castle!
The cost will be £25 for a session from which you will get a disc of gorgeous images.
She does need to have bookings in advance to make sure she can cover all her costs so let me know asap if you or your group would like a session. It would be great if we could get her to come join us!

I interviewed Polly to find out a bit about her and what she does.

• What attracted you to photographing Tribal Bellydance?
• I have my friend Pixie to thank for that. She is arguably the most well known Tribal Bellydance Photographer in the world, and she told me about this scene. I looked on Tribe to see if there were any dancers in the UK and was pleasantly surprised. I contacted a few to see if there was any chance of working with them to expand my portfolio - one thing lead to another and now the majority of the work I'm doing is with belly dancers!
• What did you do before?
• I did before what I do now ... I'm a teacher in a secondary school full time. I teach English and Media Studies. My photography, that started as a hobby has now blossomed into a 'serious' hobby. To the point where I'm hopefully going part-time in my job later in the year to start pursuing it a bit more seriously.

• What else do you like to photograph?
• Unusually - cemeteries. My photography started with a project based around London's 137 cemeteries, trying to capture their fading beauty - I've exhibited my work and work closely with a couple of the cemeteries.
I've also photographed a few gothic models and am going to start work soon on my own project based on clowns. I am coulrophobic, which means I'm terrified of clowns, I'm hoping that by working with MUAs and models on this project I can confront my fear either that or run screaming out of the studio!

• What other events and people have you captured?
• On the Bellydance Scene I've covered Tribal Unity in Cambridgeshire, Tribalondon and Shimmyshake. I've been lucky enough to have captured three of the Bellydance Superstars: Sharon Kihara, Kami Liddle and Samantha Hasthorpe. I've been honoured to also photograph the divine Princess Farhana - doing some candid photography backstage with her was so much fun! I've also photographed The Uzume live and we really want to work together on a shoot (hopefully if I come up to Tribalford this year!)
• On the British scene I've photographed Moirai, Neo-Hips, Rashini, Khalgani, Kimberley Mackoy. The Tribal Twisterhood ... amongst others. Honestly I've been so lucky to have met and photographed so many beautiful women (oh - and men!)

• You have become a face seen at many Tribal Bellydance events do you feel part of the scene?
I actually am starting to ... it's been such a short while that I've been doing this, however, at Tribalondon it was a real shock to have people coming up to me and saying 'You're Polstar (or Polly) aren't you?'. And either commenting on my work or asking to work WITH me. I'm really looking forward to the next few months as I have some very exciting shoots planned with various individuals and troupes.
I remember chatting to someone recently about how I feel really comfortable at bellydance events, and I think that's because there is such a level of mutual support. In teaching you can feel very alone in your classroom, when I'm out photographing on the scene there is a real sense of unity and friendship.
I'd also like to take this moment to apologise to everyone, so far, who has filmed an event and had my head pop up in front of their camera half way through - you're all very gracious. In fact, I've set up a playlist on Youtube for videos of the back of my head!

• Does the scene integrate alongside other aspects of your lifestyle?
With some difficulty sometimes - I'm lucky that I have the long holidays in which I can separate myself from work and immerse myself in the scene and photography. I feel it enhances my life a lot though, I feel more feminine being around dancers, which is always a bonus (so many pretty things to adorn oneself with!). My husband is very good at encouraging my work and has attended an event with me - however he doesn't get to see me much at these events as I am usually photographing almost constantly.

• Do you dance yourself?
No. I want to though!

• What do you offer dancers as a photographer?
I feel that I offer a varied and unique perspective. A photoshoot with me will not be scary or intimidating, I like to have fun when I'm working and this hopefully comes out through my work. I feel that I am someone who connects with my subjects and their style. I'm always willing to try something new and collaborate on ideas.

• Having attended lots of events do you have any favourite dancers you enjoy photographing? Can you say why?
I don't have favourites! (that's the teacher in me) - however - for different reasons I loved photographing Sharon Kihara - she is very striking and her body moves so gracefully that it's wonderful to capture in monochrome.
• The Uzume were also very interesting to photograph - their formations ensure that you are hardly ever photographing them 'in a row' - and it really makes for interesting angles and composition in a photograph.
• Princess Farhana blew me away with her elegance and energy - it's really good sometimes to see dancers smile!
• Ozgen was fascinating to photograph simply because he's a male bellydancer and I'd never seen that before! He can SHIMMY!

• What makes your photographs so atmospheric?
I hope that within them I capture the mood of the dance and the style of the dancer/s. I think it's difficult to say how I do it ... I believe it's about how I see the world - and the people within it.

• Do you have a favourite photograph that you could share with us? What makes it special?
• My favourite photograph, not for technical prowess or anything like that, but simply as a moment captured, is of Samantha Hasthorpe at Tribalondon. She outstretched her arms and the lights on the back drop formed a 'sun' around her head. I loved the silhouette of her against this bright beautiful sun.

• What next for you? Do you have plans or a vision of what the future hold? My diary over the next couple of months is slowly getting taken up with shoots, which is SO exciting - it's taking me outside of London which is always a good thing. I'm also hopefully attending TribalFord (!) and Gothla this year.
If I'm able to go part time in my teaching career I'm hoping that I can set up a small studio (I have my lights in my study and not much room for anything else!) and start working from there also. In the meantime I'll keep on coming to events that I'm invited to where possible and working with dancers wherever they want me to!


Do go and have a look at her photos if you have not yet had the pleasure she is a very talented lady who has the knack of capturing Tribal dancers in all their glory!