WHY I BEGAN DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY

There’s something so special about the art form of dance that has always captivated me. From the incredible lines, to the curve of the arch in a pointe shoe – there are so many reasons why dance is so beautiful.

Being a dancer since the age of 2, I have grown such an appreciation for being a part of the artform, but also for recognizing and capturing it in others. While I’ve always had a love for photographs, one of the main reasons I got into photography was when I started out photographing my friends who were dancers. 

Practicing with friends and hearing/seeing their reactions to the images I had captured of them led me to realize that I wanted this to be a part of my business. I wanted to be able to work with and showcase dancers in a capacity that I never had before, and help them love the photos of themselves as much as I do.

In the dance world, we can be pretty critical of ourselves, our technique, our form, etc. and so often when you are photographed as a dancer in action, the photographer misses the key components that the dancer (and their studio or company) care about.  They don’t know if something isn’t properly ‘turned out’, or if the shot they got was not when your leg reached its full height, or if your foot isn’t pointed fully. All of these little details are so important to dancers and are essential in creating images that they love and want to use for their careers. 

This is exactly the reason I decided to photograph dancers. I wanted to be able to help guide them to their fullest potential for creating beautiful images that they are happy with, that they feel good about, and that boosts their confidence in such a competitive world.

Now I photograph dancers every weekend, photograph LIVE shows, in addition to teaching my own dance classes each week. It is something that started as a passion project and has turned into a main component of my business.

Working with dancers in this capacity is something that I am so grateful I found, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Because of this passion, I have developed a program for dancers to come together and create art with me – but that’s another story.