Dance photography in its own genre is an incredible one to shoot and learn to improve your skills from further.
Take the time to get to know the dancers you are working with. If you are shooting together in the group it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of shooting from others that have gone in front of you.
In advance of your shoot talk with the dancer about what they are capable of doing in terms of pointe work. The outfit also plays an important role too, so take the time to think through the time, place and potential weather conditions that there might be outside.
On the shoot day, find several locations where you can shoot to give you a greater variety of shots. In this particular location, you can see the light falling through the ceiling from above and there is a prominent leading line going through the middle. Use the features in the environment.
As you can see from these workshop participants they are the central line effectively. What makes their approach even more effective is changing their positioning so they are able to capture the graceful movements. When shooting, ask yourself after taking 10 shots, what have you captured, do you need to take more of those particular shots, which images stood out to you, how could you work on those specific ones in more depth?
An excellent photographer is always reviewing, adapting and improving on the move. Making those continual reviews, will improve the quality and reduce the quantity of your shooting too. In turn improving your confidence in the art, encouraging you to improve your skills further.
Your choice of lens here will be important, using a faster lens will help you capture the right shot at the right moment more effectively. Any DSLR camera from 2012 onwards is more than capable of capturing amazing shots. Try not to be distracted by the continually rolling iterations of cameras that are appearing on the market and focus on using the tools you have to become a better photographer. With time, the other assets will too come into your arsenal.
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