Dancers in the Dark

Hooligan Dan · Dec 27, 2010

The other night I had to go shoot an assignment in a small ballet studio. I was there to photograph one girl in particular that the reporter did a QNA with. She showed up late and I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to shoot one of the things I love shooting the most-performing arts.

Here's what I came back with. For the most part I used my 50mm 1.4G because I still haven't upgraded my DX 17-55 with the FX 17-35. It was pretty difficult to get some of the shots because I was up against the wall and couldn't get far enough away, but I'm happy with the results.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

This last one is my favorite but I already know a lot of you will hate it. I was lying on my belly getting shots of feet as the ballerinas crouched and rose(forgive me for not knowing the proper term). I zoomed out and got in a crouch as they stood up again and the girl in front rose out of frame. She's been decapitated but I don't think it takes away from the photo at all.

15

That's all. Thanks for looking, folks. Let me know what you think.

Derrel · Dec 27, 2010

These look fundamentally sound. You obviously know your way around a camera.

Frequency · Dec 27, 2010

Some photos are excellent; others are very good

Regards

mwcfarms · Dec 27, 2010

Very nice set. Thanks for sharing.

Rekd · Dec 27, 2010

Generally a great set. A couple with the limbs in the foreground don't do it for me, neither does the last one.

4 really does it for me. 7 as well. Thanks for sharing.

Hooligan Dan · Dec 27, 2010

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Rekd, what are the photos that you think the foreground limbs work and what are the ones you think are hurt by it?

Rekd · Dec 27, 2010

3 and 5 are IMO the most distracting. Some towards the end where the bar is in the foreground detract a bit too, but I've already counted images like 3 times. If you'd number them it would make it easier to critique this many images.

Hooligan Dan · Dec 27, 2010

Images numbered.

Thanks for the critique.

Compaq · Jan 4, 2011

Beheading is almost never recommendable

(last pic)

And I agree on the limbs. And I think the metal thingies they use are a bit distracting when used in foreground bokeh.

edit: I really like #4

Hooligan Dan · Jan 4, 2011

Thanks for all the comments, guys.

Though I will point out a couple stylistic things. In photojournalism, especially documentary photography,, magnum hands(the unofficial name of limbs shooting into frames) and chopped heads are pretty common. Guys like James Nachtwey, Chris Morris, and Gary Knight do both regularly, especially if, like in the last shot, the face isn't the focus of the subject. But I do get that some people don't like it.