Dance like no one (but the camera) is watching...

I've danced all my life. From tap, jazz and ballet as a kid to latin ballroom competitions as a teenager, and now onto professional salsa and fusion performances, it's always been a part of my life. But at the same time, I always wished I could arrange for better photos of these dance events than the standard blurry movement shots or posed post-performance cheesy smiles.

So, when this assignment came up, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the challenging art of dance photography. Similar to event photography, dance photo requires you to capture quick movement and often intense emotion, all in very low light situations. Another important aspect to dance photography is capturing the beauty and grace of the art in different situations (see examples below) as well as the behind-the-scenes drama and mystery of the dance world.

Not surprisingly, some of the best dance photographers were once dancers themselves.An insider's knowledge not only gives the photographer an understanding of dance conventions, it also helps them to "read" the dancers and the rhythm better than the untrained photographer, making it easier to capture those special moments. One example I found was Bruce Monk, who danced with our own Royal Winnipeg Ballet. His dance photography tutorial is very helpful.

Monk’s website as well as an essay at Luminious Landscape helped me learn that I need a fast lens, small aperture number, and high ISO in order to capture dancers. There were many other great techniques suggested too. I also enjoyed reading a photography blog featuring lindy hop dancers, if partially for my own interest as I do some swing dancing. I look forward to trying some of these techniques.

Photos:
(top) Carmen De Lavalade, by Lois Greenfield. I love the curving lines in this photo, and how the curve of the dress echoes the curve of her hand. Great timing that highlights a dancer's perfection.
(centre) Megan-Dumbo, by Dane Shitagi. I love how this photographer places ballerinas in classic poses but unusual places/situations. I also like his framing and the wonderful tones in his black & white photos.

Another photo that I found inspiring can be viewed here. I like the shallow depth in this shot, the the wonderful timing, and the crisp focus on the subject. An inspiring example of capturing the beauty of a live ballet performance.