How to Photograph Dancers

Photographing Dancers is one of the most difficult, yet inspiring and artistically fulfilling genres of photography!

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1. UNDERSTANDING ANTICIPATED MOVEMENT: Being able to understand the anticipated movement associated with photographing dancers is one of the most important aspects to learn.  If you watch dancers long enough and gain experience in observing performing arts, you will start to notice when a dancer is in “preparation” of a certain leap, turn or movement. This is a critical component in being able to know that exact hundredth of a second to snap the shutter to capture the climax of a particular dance move.

2. UNDERSTANDING LIGHTING: When photographing dancers, lighting is one of the most important factors in telling the “story” of the dancer.  A ballerina may photograph nicer in a soft even light, while a hip-hop dancer might appreciate a more dramatic light, such as that created by continuous LED lights like the Stella Pro by Light and Motion.  Don’t be afraid to break the rules – sometimes dramatic lighting can create a powerful image of a soft and flowing ballerina!

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3. UNDERSTANDING WARDROBE: Dancers communicate without words – which makes dance a universal language that all can understand. When observing a portrait of a dancer, a story is created inside the mind of perceived motion and movement. For this reason, wardrobe can play a key role in your dance portraits.  Choosing fabrics that flow and move with the dancer can take an ordinary moment into an extraordinary one!

The beautiful art of dance photography is an endless avenue to explore.  The human body in motion combined with the art of photography enables two artists to join together to create one beautiful masterpiece!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE Dance Photography Guide!

An absolutely free resource for photographers who would like to discover how to learn more about the art of dance photography.

Much Love,