Dance Photography: A Complete Guide
-
Loading... - Mathias Kaiser
- 15 Sep 2022
- 63 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Shooting dancers can be one of the most daunting photographic subjects but also one of the most rewarding in terms of the final images captured. Dance can be an unforgiving subject, and unless one delves deeper and tries to understand the movement, the choreography, the piece, and how to capture the light hitting the dancers, it will prove tough to achieve award-winning imagery.
By dance photography, we usually understand capturing a live dance performance, whether the live show or the rehearsal, and not scripted dance movements inside a controlled studio setting, which permits control of light, position, and choice of apparel for the dancer. The style made famous by Lois Greenfield would be more aptly termed photography of the human figure or anatomical structural photography rather than dance photography. We will thus limit the scope of this guide to the definition of dance photography as above.
Table of Contents
Before You Start
Rehearsal or Live?
Equipment
Settings
Post-Processing
Conclusion
Before You Start
Photographing dance requires some planning, liaison with dance companies and auditoria, as well as personal preparation, like all other genres of photography. But how does one go about capturing the split-second moments that reveal grace, anatomy, motion, and power in dance choreography while resulting in stellar photographic images?
Anticipation, reflexes, listening to the rhythms, feeling the music, and understanding dance are all important, as are knowing the basics of choreography and performing arts. Although dance styles vary, with contemporary dance differing wildly from ballet or flamenco, dance movement is something one learns to predict and be prepared for. Feeling the tempo of the music and its interplay with the dance helps the photographer get into a shooting vibe and zone, and being aware of the vocabulary of dance moves helps you read what the next move might be.
With experience and practice, you start learning when a jump is being prepared, when a particular troupe formation is being prearranged, and when to press the shutter in keeping with the music in order to avoid disrupting the audience. Read More...
