The result is an act of love and artistry, a grandfather’s vision made concrete and permanent, and Aryani's spirited collaboration as model. Miller’s goal in this intimate project is to illuminate that duality of identity and experience through photography, and particularly photography of dance. That duality refers to his subject’s richly mixed heritage: “With a father reared in the western tradition and a mother from the Hindu culture, Aryani has a foot in both worlds.” The collected images reflect this. Miller showcases Aryani on stage, from ages six to twelve, in vibrant traditional costume as she dances in the classical Bharatanatyam style, and readers get to watch her grow as a young girl and as a dancer, into a teen with impressive physical command and a forceful presence and bearing, both in posed performances and in more candid shots.

Miller believes colorless compositions “best express and distill the essence of the subject through tone, form, and texture,”yet he recognizes that color is a central feature to Hindu culture and art, so his compromise is to include a mix of color and black-and-white photographs. While many of the posed photos are striking, particularly “Aryani in Sleepy Mama’s dress at age 7,” and “Wood nymph,” this collection is likely best enjoyed by family members rather than most chance readers. Miller measures up to his mission, doing “justice to the richness of her spirit.”

Takeaway: Padma Venkatraman’s A Time to Dance, and Ken Browar and Deborah Ory’s The Art of Movement

Comparable Titles: Warm, striking photos of a young girl dancing in the classical Bharatanatyam Indian style

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-