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Photographing A Dancer in a studio
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OP
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- Shaheed
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Ta. I'll have a peep!
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I photographed pole dancers and I watched David Hobby's tutorial on the ballet dancer.
There is no way you can let them just freestyle. Have them demonstrate their most comfortable, repeatable poses. Select one, adjust your lights for this and then it's "1,2,3,go!", *click*, chimp, rinse, repeat. Then move on to the next pose. Don't forget to take breaks.
The larger your background, the less space you'll need, considering, angle of view, distance between dancer and background, etc.
There is no way you can let them just freestyle. Have them demonstrate their most comfortable, repeatable poses. Select one, adjust your lights for this and then it's "1,2,3,go!", *click*, chimp, rinse, repeat. Then move on to the next pose. Don't forget to take breaks.
The larger your background, the less space you'll need, considering, angle of view, distance between dancer and background, etc.
OP
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Cheers. That's really helpful!
I'll look up that tutorial later (unless you have a link?)
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If I remember correctly it was a Lynda training... yupp: http://www.lynda.com/Photography-Ca...g-Flash-Capturing-Dancer-Motion/124553-2.html - maybe you can find some free information elsewhere. He uses a giant gym as a make-shift studio, so this might not apply for you.
A friend of mine had great success lighting dancers with a large octabox on a grey background, e.g. https://www.flickr.com/photos/fufurasu/16262981352/in/dateposted/
OP
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Wow, that grey background pic is awesome!!
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Thanks for the mention Phil
Yes, it's pretty much the bulk of what I do. Not all of it studio based but the principles aren't dissimilar.
It's very rewarding as you might imagine and there are a lot of factors that determine your final outcomes. Feel free to pm me.
Excuse the pic whoring…there are plenty more on flickr
DT3_4572 copy by just a thought….
DSC_7963 by just a thought….
DSC_8016 by just a thought….,
DT3_4188 copy2 copy by just a thought....
DT3_4179 copy by just a thought….
DT3_8610 by just a thought….
DT3_8438-2 by just a thought….
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Absolutely fantastic. Have messaged you.Thanks for the mention Phil
Yes, it's pretty much the bulk of what I do. Not all of it studio based but the principles aren't dissimilar.
It's very rewarding as you might imagine and there are a lot of factors that determine your final outcomes. Feel free to pm me.
Excuse the pic whoring…there are plenty more on flickr
Are the cooler ones with a cto'd light?
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OP
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You have mail!
Cheers. Really appreciate that - top bloke.
Did the quadra have a gel on it for the cooler images?
Thanks again
Shaheed
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You're welcome
On the first shot (Waterloo Bridge) it had a small (70cm) Octa and the second shot in the tunnel underneath Waterloo station, it was a gridded beauty dish camera left and small Octa camera right. No gels and adjusted in Lightroom.
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@DT01 Utterly stunning shots! I've forwarded your Flickr link to my friend whose daughter is a dancer.Excuse the pic whoring…there are plenty more on flickr
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This might be of interest if you are looking to capture movement: http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2...ography-how-to-shoot-portraits-with-movement/
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Thanks for the mention Phil
Yes, it's pretty much the bulk of what I do. Not all of it studio based but the principles aren't dissimilar.
It's very rewarding as you might imagine and there are a lot of factors that determine your final outcomes. Feel free to pm me.
Excuse the pic whoring…there are plenty more on flickr
Nice set,dont mind the whoring
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I do a certain amount of related work.. and I'm joining in the flickr whoring .. loads more on there
I often aim for a very still, quiet looking - if improbable - pose but the reality is that often that each position is held for only a second or two seconds, and is sometimes not static at all. Then flash durations become an issue. Piccure+ is good - but not perfect - at removing motion blur resulting from long flash durations.
As soon as someone isn't the right way up then - unless I'm going for very even lighting - I find that every pose or shape needs to be individually lit. This is especially true of partner acrobatics - I'll often only get half a dozen images per shoot. The problem then is keeping your models warmed up while pfaffing with lights.
I often use back button focusing to prefocus before my model starts to get into position - but that doesn't always work for jumps. I don't always have a clear idea of the shape someone is going to make, but when I do I try to use a tripod.
The variability and movement involved mean that no studio is quite big enough for blank wall type shots - I often end up cloning background in. Getting lights close enough while leaving people enough room is awkward. Make sure everything is really well sandbagged down 'cos folk aren't just walking into lightstands, they're moving fast.
If you've any specific questions then feel free to post here or PM me.
Chaise by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Low key pole dancer by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Foot hang by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Verity I by Simon Carter, on Flickr
I often aim for a very still, quiet looking - if improbable - pose but the reality is that often that each position is held for only a second or two seconds, and is sometimes not static at all. Then flash durations become an issue. Piccure+ is good - but not perfect - at removing motion blur resulting from long flash durations.
As soon as someone isn't the right way up then - unless I'm going for very even lighting - I find that every pose or shape needs to be individually lit. This is especially true of partner acrobatics - I'll often only get half a dozen images per shoot. The problem then is keeping your models warmed up while pfaffing with lights.
I often use back button focusing to prefocus before my model starts to get into position - but that doesn't always work for jumps. I don't always have a clear idea of the shape someone is going to make, but when I do I try to use a tripod.
The variability and movement involved mean that no studio is quite big enough for blank wall type shots - I often end up cloning background in. Getting lights close enough while leaving people enough room is awkward. Make sure everything is really well sandbagged down 'cos folk aren't just walking into lightstands, they're moving fast.
If you've any specific questions then feel free to post here or PM me.
Chaise by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Low key pole dancer by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Foot hang by Simon Carter, on Flickr
Verity I by Simon Carter, on Flickr
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Ah.. I meant to say, I find it useful to frame a little wider than usual and crop - nothing worse than a killer shot with an amputated hand. Also don't be afraid to repeat, and repeat, and repeat a pose. Dancers & acrobats are used to repetition as part of the training & rehearsal.
If I have a big image in mind then - e.g. (nsfw) https://www.flickr.com/photos/simoncarterphotography/21206926982/in/dateposted-public/ - I'll do a couple of quickish warmup things first but try to get the complicated stuff out of the way early on. Otherwise, though, I find the best shots tend to come near the end of a shoot when we've got a few safe shots in the bag and everything is a bit more relaxed & flowing well.
Bethy @sunnyside_up does dancers, too, I think.
If I have a big image in mind then - e.g. (nsfw) https://www.flickr.com/photos/simoncarterphotography/21206926982/in/dateposted-public/ - I'll do a couple of quickish warmup things first but try to get the complicated stuff out of the way early on. Otherwise, though, I find the best shots tend to come near the end of a shoot when we've got a few safe shots in the bag and everything is a bit more relaxed & flowing well.
Bethy @sunnyside_up does dancers, too, I think.
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Dance is about movement, control, connection (to the music usually and to another dancer often) and shape. The latter is a good place to start thinking for photography - each style of dance will have distinctive shapes so try to work out what those are and then the lighting and angles that show that best. The shape is often hard for the dancer to hold long as it may involve delicate balance or even a jump so you need to watch the transition movements to know when the right part is coming.
Think about backgrounds - where is the floor/background cutting through the lines of the dancer and is it a strong line or soft.
The good thing is that dancers are used to performing, practicing and repeating - and working til they get it right. The smallest difference of hand or foot placement is important.
I had a wedding couple recently who both do ballet (the bride is a ballet teacher). Sadly they don't live in the UK or I would have arranged a ballet themed pre-wedding shoot!
Think about backgrounds - where is the floor/background cutting through the lines of the dancer and is it a strong line or soft.
The good thing is that dancers are used to performing, practicing and repeating - and working til they get it right. The smallest difference of hand or foot placement is important.
I had a wedding couple recently who both do ballet (the bride is a ballet teacher). Sadly they don't live in the UK or I would have arranged a ballet themed pre-wedding shoot!