[Toad]

Jamie:

I am doing some portfolio shots of a young dancer this weekend. Any advice as far as lighting, posing, or any other subject?

Yes - I know to get a release....

Toad

[StudioJ]

Rob,

What lighting setup do you have at your disposal? What kind of dance does she do? Where were you looking at taking the shots?

J

[Toad]

Jazz dance mostly - some ballet and also hophop. I have 2 fairly low power (100watt)studio strobes, an umbrella, soft box, and a good flash - Nikon SB800.

I will be doing it in a garage converted to a studio with a black backdrop.

[StudioJ]

I haven't shot any dancers before but my thoughts would be to try and pose them in dance poses in character with each style.

I'd use the soft box to illuminate the face and give it a nice soft look but maybe on the hip hop give her an edgier feel with just the umbrella or even bare bulbs and go for a high contrast half face in shadow look.

You might be able to use a bucket with a hole in the bottom of it or some other device to focus your spare light (other than the softbox) and maybe make a semi-circle pool of light that looks like a stage spot.

If you're really keen and you have the location for it I had an idea for a ballet shot in costume in a window box, white sheet outside the window with a light source behind it and another inside so that the window has a solid glow coming through it, needs good strength on the front though or it silhouettes too much. A pose for this that works is sitting leaning down tieing the straps on the shoes, more natural than posed.

[byrt_001]

Hi Toad


Im not very fond of black backgrounds, but I like to play with the light to create a black bg.

uuhmmm, have you check my gallery? maybe you can get some ideas form there?

also ask the model what ideas she has is always nice to have an input of what she wants. play around with the posses, dont be shy.

lets us know how they come out.

regards

Christian

[Toad]

Thanks guys for all the good advice. The model has already sent me some magazine pictures and a few digicam photos of what type of things she has in mind.

I have barn doors to help focus the light as you suggest Jamie, but there is no window large enough in the studio for the window box idea - may be one in the attached house.

She will be changing into at least 5 costumes and redoing hair and makeup in between sessions. I have been pouring over dance books looking for ideas.

I'll let you know how it turns out - thanks for the advice.

I guess this really should have been a new thread. Jules - can the last few posts be diverted to a new thead?

[shuttertalk]

Done...