How I Saved My Dance Photography Shoot (When Everything Went Wrong)
As it turns out, booking a photo studio for a full eight hours requires a modest degree of forward thinking and meticulous planning, two pillars of human competence that have remained, throughout my life, stubbornly elusive. For reasons I cannot quite fathom, my professional creative career has relied almost entirely on the belief that everything will simply be “alright on the night.” Remarkably, through some sort of cosmic oversight, it usually is.
Having earmarked an entire day in my diary to immerse myself in the high octane, gravity defying world of dance photography, I immediately ran into something of a snag.
As it turns out, booking a photo studio for a full eight hours requires a modest degree of forward thinking and meticulous planning, two pillars of human competence that have remained, throughout my life, stubbornly elusive. For reasons I cannot quite fathom, my professional creative career has relied almost entirely on the belief that everything will simply be “alright on the night.” Remarkably, through some sort of cosmic oversight, it usually is.
Fate, however, had clearly taken umbrage at my breezy approach to studio scheduling and decided it was high time I was taught a stern lesson.
Planning a Photoshoot: Conception vs. Reality
Having conceived the initial idea, booked the studio space, and painstakingly designed a promotional poster by hand (a miraculous feat without AI assistance, I assure you), I was ready to launch the campaign and watch client bookings roll in.
It was precisely at this moment that my education in creative humility began.
What started as a mild tickle in the throat rapidly mutated into a full blown, catastrophic case of "man flu." This was not a mere cold; it was the sort of agonizing affliction that leads even the most stout hearted photographer to prepare for an impending meeting with his maker.
Rescuing the Shoot: Collaborating with Local Dance Talent
Against all medical odds, I managed to wriggle free from Death’s icy grip with just days to spare. I promptly dispatched a grovelling message to Laura over at the L&C Collective, begging to know if any of her dancers might take pity on a desperate photographer.
To my overwhelming relief and eternal gratitude, Ellis and Lucy agreed to step into the breach.
Capturing Action & High Speed Dance Photography
And what an absolute joy it was. Working with skilled performers completely changed the dynamic of the shoot.
The two of them proceeded to execute a series of spectacular leaps and kicks that appeared to violate several fundamental laws of Newtonian physics:
Freezing Motion: Timing shutter speeds to catch peak elevation mid-leap.
Composition: Framing high energy movement within a controlled studio lighting setup.
Expressive Form: Translating athletic control into striking visual art.
The resulting images truly showcase their extraordinary talent, dedication, and athleticism.
Final Thoughts
A massive thank you to Ellis, Lucy, and Laura for turning a potential scheduling disaster into a fantastic portfolio session. Who knows? Next time, I might even try planning ahead.
