Published in the book


Collage of photos from Vanemuine Ballet book

It started out as a joke…

A choreographer friend of mine allowed me to take some photos of his production. About same time he had to come up with a story of how he knew me so he said I was the official photographer of the theatre. I laughed and said ‘yeah, I wish it was so but I am just an amateur’.

Two years later Vanemuine Ballet celebrates 70th anniversary and publishes a book with photos through the history of the ballet theatre, with 6 of the photos by yours truly!!! I was really excited and deeply honored.

I had heard before of how expensive the book was and how limited it was so while applauding when the books were given to retired and active ballet artists and many other very very important people I doubted I would be given the book so was only thinking of where I could look through the book to see my photos. And then at the very end the head of the ballet started telling a story of one evening when she attended a stage rehearsal.

..she was sitting in the audience when some young guy with a camera was walking back and forth between the seats and pretty much stepped over her! She heard that someone had let him in to the closed rehearsal to take photos! But actually she was not outraged (any more) when she saw the photos the young guy had taken. They were fantastic! And then she said ‘thank you, Ranno’.

I was indeed a bit ashamed when recognizing myself as the arrogant young guy, but it was presented in such a sweet way, so when I ran down the isle for my book my eyes were about to share tears and I could not wipe that ear to ear smile off of my face.


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