This last week or so I’ve been busy doing a number of photo shoots with dancers. I needed to test out my new Godox AD 600 Pro II and it’s wireless trigger and what better way than capturing the exquisiteness of dance?
I left the wardrobe and style up to the dancer. This is some of what we came up with!
Models:
- Freedom Perdew
- Sophia Macmillan
- Conner Anderson
- Renée
- Cale Cloutier
I totally love how this particular yellow cloth goes both with Freedom’s complexion and outfit. She brought a number of other colors and textures, but this was the one that really stood out.
I chose to darken the background because the yellow was just so beautiful I wanted it to stand out more.
When Sophia first contacted me I didn’t realize that I knew her. It wasn’t until editing these photos that I realize that I had definitely noticed her at dance! Her years of dance training really shines through her movement.
(She might look posed in this photo, but she’s actually in the middle of her dance.)
My favorite photo of Freedom without the yellow scarf.
The only multiple-person dance shoot I did was with Reneé and Conner at the Owen Rose Garden. He’s super tall and she’s quite short, so getting the lighting to work was tricky. (The only light modifier I had was a small umbrella.) Still, once in a while it landed nicely.
I love how expressive Sophia is! There were soooo many great photos that came out of this shoot!
I love how Freedom is looking toward the light here.
This was an incredibly windy day, so not much problem getting lift in both Freedom’s hair and clothing! Still, this move really gave the fabric (and her hair) some extra oomph.
(It was actually so windy that I asked a bystander to come over and hold my light stand. He was watching anyway, so why not have him watch and hold the stand??)
It’s awesome that partner dancing can bring out so much joy! (No, they’re not a couple – they just love dancing!!)
Cale was the only person who took me up on the offer of shooting at Alsea Falls. I really LOVE shooting out there, biut it’s usually quite dim. Adding lighting really changed things.
In his dance he wanted to dance into the core emotions of anger and pain, as well as dive deep into his power and strength.
I’m not much for adding in light that’s not already there, but Sophia’s position and how my light was falling on her just sort of begged for sun rays. They’re easy enough to add in if you have Luminar. (It would take forever with Photoshop.)
I’m not used to using serious flash photography outside, so there was definitely a learning curve!
How did it work out?