Ballet is one of the most beautiful forms of dance. The grace and passion that goes into this magnificent art form, is truly extraordinary. Ballet dancers are some of the most incredible athletes around. Photography is an excellent way to capture that passion. The grace of a dancer is something that can be shared through photographs, but to make it more than an ordinary image, it takes skill and lots of practice. Jimmy will show you that you don’t need to know the in’s and out’s of ballet to be able to turn out high quality photographs. Here is some information that is helpful to know when working with dancers.
Get to Know your Dancer
Get to know your Dancer: Some dancers have a favorite position they are most comfortable in. Start by talking to them and letting them tell you what their capabilities are. They may be able to hold certain poses longer that others, and it is important to gather this information beforehand so the maximum amount of time can be spent on actual shooting. Always take the dancers abilities into consideration in each photograph.
You want to make them feel comfortable before you even pick up your camera. It is helpful to know some dance vocabulary, so that while you are instructing them, the correct position is communicated. The worst thing for either party would be to say, “Do that jumpy thing,” and expect them to understand what you have in mind. It is always best to have a dance instructor or an advanced dancer at the shoot.
“The grace of a dancer is something that can be shared through
photographs, but it takes skill and lots of practice.
Bring it out: While all dancers are used to being on stage, they may not be as comfortable in front of a camera. It is important to know how to bring out the passion while shooting. This is something Jimmy has been doing for many years and will instruct you on how to make it work for you. With this knowledge more of the photographs will come out as planned and there may be some wonderful surprises scattered in there as well.
Land the Pose: Once both the photographer and the dancer are comfortable and warmed up, it is time to capture those amazing shots. Depending on how much time there is set aside for the session, it would be helpful to initially let the dancer just be themselves for awhile. Allow them to get comfortable as they move around. This way you will be able to see and visualize what their perfect position may be. From here, specific poses can be tried out with pirouettes, plies, and jumps.
Having said that, however, some of the best shots come from the dancers just relaxing and being themselves. When any profession wants to be expanded, it is important to learn new things. The best way to learn dance photography is to work with these exceptional athletes.
Jimmy is offering you this amazing experience. You will learn the steps that need to be taken to make every shot outstanding. In addition to the tips above, you don’t want to forget to just have fun!
