The Sunshine Skate

While working on the all-new Disney on Ice production, I was asked to create athletic portraits in a style consistent with previous years. Rather than working with a predetermined concept, the assignment came together during a few hours on a Friday morning before the cast embarked on their cross-country tour. I noted the irony of an ice performance being produced in Florida’s heat, so I constructed a frozen pond in the blazing sun with the skaters outdoors. The setup required 96 square feet of plexiglass, 3/4 inch plywood, 500 pounds of sod, and a machete to create this unconventional backdrop for the portraits.