Congratulations to Valerie Robinson (@photogbyvalerie), who is the winner of our Sony Alpha Female+ Video Contest and a Sony ZV-1 camera. Her short video, “I’m A Ballerina,” is filmed in black and white and captures her daughter practicing ballet, one of the activities that has helped keep spirits high as well as some routine throughout the pandemic. 

“The pandemic has awakened my curiosity for historically documenting my family in both still and video imagery,” says Robinson. “Everyone has a story on not only how they are coping and pivoting during these unprecedented times, but so do our children. To keep a semblance of ‘normalcy,’ my children have been continuing their extracurricular activities virtually, and I felt compelled to capture my youngest daughter in our makeshift home dance studio to document what joy looks like in uncertainty.” 

The pandemic has been difficult on parents and children who were all instantly thrown from their well-developed routines. Robinson wanted to capture these moments in a way that proved that even through these challenging times, there were still plenty of happy and enriching times.

“The video was shot in the late evening, using natural window light, as she had just ended virtual dance class. Black and white is always the cherry on top for a timeless effect. It was extremely important to freeze this moment, which is only one of many for the family video archives. One day, they will be able to share with their families how they were still able to grow, learn and thrive (as best as possible) in the midst of a global pandemic.”

See more of Robinson's work on her Alpha Universe Profile. Visit the Alpha Female+ page to see more of our past contest winners.