Today I want to reflect on the topic of comfort during photoshooting and how to use it 100% in your favor.
It's no secret that more often than not photographers would invite you to shoot in the studio. There is professional lighting equipment, cyclorama, large windows, walls and textured backgrounds. It all helps the photographer and facilitates their work with the model, that is, with a regular human model. But we are not ordinary humans, we are ballet dancers.
When I started shooting, I was still a dancer, so it was easy to find a class to shoot in. So, I worked in different studios but spent 50% of the shootings in a class. Analyzing my experience today, I am positive that a dancer feels more comfortable in a class, whereas a photographer can be comfortable everywhere, provided there’s good light and equipment:).
Let’s think what is essential for working with/as a ballet dancer. The most important things are a barre and a good floor.
What’s wrong with a studio, from a dancer’s perspective?
Studios often have concrete floors. It means jumps are out of the question unless you want to get injured.
Next, there’s the floor coating. If you’re a dancer, try the floor coating with the edge of your pointes, see if it’s slippery. This will save you from falling when you begin to create a pose with the photographer. I recommend that you always carry some rosin with you, or soak the point with water when shooting (however, this is all individual and depends on the floor).
It is important to stay intact after the shooting. Not all photographers think about this, so do not be afraid to reject complex things if you are not sure about them.
Another essential tool, the barre. There are practically no surfaces in the studio for you to clutch and not make your hand resemble a fist. If you try to grab something for stability, the photographer should always monitor the position of the hand. So, at such moments, a barre would be a savior but it is very rarely found in professional photo studios.
Also, here are practically no mirrors which you are used to. You can’t check your reflection and see how you look. I will make another post about mirrors in ballet shooting.
To sum up, my photoshoot essentials for working in a studio is a wooden floor and a barre. This gave my shootings 100% success. Indeed, for the body of a ballet dancer, absorption during movement is so important. And a barre, even the most flimsy one, is still our best friend.
I continue to shoot in the classes because you can recreate a lot of interesting ideas for ballet shooting there. Nevertheless, the ballet class is usually not designed for creating diverse ideas on the set. Therefore, for myself, I choose a photo studio. And I go to the ballet class only when I want to take photos from rehearsals or the production process.
So, a tip for dancers: when you arrange for a shooting, be sure to check with the photographer about the non-concrete floor in the studio. Also, emphasize that a barre is important to you. At least, it will help you to warm up:)