Christopher Dydyk, a photographer, and his husband, Morris Ratner, have been ardent supporters of LINES Ballet since their introduction to the company in 2017. Christopher has actively contributed to LINES Ballet as a board member since 2019, serving as co-chair and chair of the gala committee for a total of four years. Residing in San Francisco with their two dogs, Morris is the Academic Dean and Provost at UC Law San Francisco.
As a visual artist, Christopher finds resonance with the LINES dancers, Alonzo King, and their artistic expression, which prompted him to delve deeper into both the company and his own identity. He began capturing the world through photography at the age of thirteen, initially documenting nature’s beauty. After earning a B.S. in Biopsychology from UC Santa Barbara, he pursued his passion by studying at the Brooks Institute of Photography. His notable work includes photographing the cover for the bestselling book, The Man Who Listens to Horses, and contributing over one hundred photographs to another bestseller, Shy-Boy, The Horse That Came in From the Wild.
Christopher’s latest series, “Impressions,” focuses on city life. He states, “Traditional photography is beautiful and is at the foundation of my work. However, for me, today, it lacks the multidimensionality to fully express the sensations of energy and joy that I often feel when looking upon a city scene.” To overcome these limitations, he developed a technique that better expresses both space and time, as well as the feelings he has when experiencing them. To create his pieces, multiple images are taken of the same subject and overlaid, digitally, eliminating certain elements while highlighting others. His final pieces seek to capture the four dimensions (that are space and time) to more fully reflect the actual experience of “seeing.” “My impressions are created by merging the technology of today with the photography of yesterday. For the viewer, there are endless discoveries encapsulated in the density of each scene and a feeling of experiencing the moment, not just looking at it.”
Photography: Christopher Dydyk | © Christopher Dydyk