If you have booked Capture the Move photoshoot experience with me, this post is for you and if not, you may find a useful idea on how to prepare yourself for a successful dance photoshoot. Capture the Move 2020 allows only 30 minute time slots for each dancer, meaning you need to be prepared as much as possible to make the most of such a short shoot. The photoshoot will be a mix of creating poses for the camera and also dancing to music while I capture your moves in motion.
1. Prepare a list of your signature moves and poses
Take some time at home to think about every dance style you would like to showcase and what are the dance poses you could do for these styles. During a longer dance photoshoot with me, there is lots of time to explore and try different things out, but there is less time for experimentation during Capture the Move. Make a list of moves or take photos on your phone of 5-10 poses for each style you want to show and bring them with you. Practice them at home.
2. Creating angles - do some research on Google
Best dance poses create interesting shapes while showing off your skills. Go on Google and search images for your dance style by keywords such as 'dance photoshoot', 'contemporary dancer', 'street dancer', 'dance photography', 'ballet dancer' etc. You'll see lots of examples of amazing photos of dancers. You'll find that the best photos always have a mix of good lines as well as angles. Go through some of the photos and see if there are some moves you would like to recreate or even better, but your own twist and personality into.
3. Remember to practice your performance faces
As important as your body and moves, is what is happening with your face during the photoshoot. Remember to perform with your face as well as the body as both will be captures in a spit of a second onto a photo. Pay particular attention to your face when doing jumps and leaps as we all have the tendency to strain our faces when doing complicated moves.
4. Have some music with you
Now that you have your poses ready, think of some songs that really make you want to dance. You may have some routines that you are confident with from your dance school and you can perform them, while I take photos of you. But in addition to that during the second half of the shoot, when you have gotten into the rhythm of things, I would like you to just dance to a couple of tracks that make you feel like you just cannot standstill. Think of it as you dancing in front of the mirror at home kind of style. This is the part where I want to see your personality come through, it will not be about big moves as much as you having fun. I will have a speaker with me that can connect phones and will have Spotify ready to find any tracks for you if you don't have the music on your own phone.
5. Food and drink
Please make sure to have a named waterbottle with you and some food or snacks for energy. Please also bring a toothbrush, just in case you need to use it after eating.
6. What about hair and make-up?
When you arrive at Epic studios, you'll have 30 minutes to get ready. Please arrive with your hair and make-up already done. If you would like to have your hair up as well as down for the shoot for variation, think ahead what way around it would be easier for you to start. Hair up and then release it for later or hair down to start off with and then make a quick hair-up look a bit later? Due to social distancing, we will not be able to help you with your hair and make-up during this shoot. Please feel free to have a parent or sibling with you, who does not have to social distance and can help you with quick changes if needed.
7. What clothes to bring?
The clothes you want to wear will depend on the dance style you are doing. Dancers are used to quick changes so we can do 3-4 changes during the shoot. Feel free to bring a whole bag of clothes with you but plan the clothes with these points in mind.
1) Have at least one outfit that shows you in traditional dance clothes (e.g. ballet clothes, etc)
2) If you are from Central School of Dancing and Performing arts, bring along any clothes as well, that have their merchandise and logo on. Please also take with you one black and one colorfoul leotard as these will be used for filming a dance video of you.
3) Look up a few cool outfits that you would not normally maybe wear for dance lessons but are easy to move in and show off your personal style, especially for anyone doing a street dance.
4) Avoid wearing black on the top and the bottom half of all your body (such as long black leggings and black top) and combine black with other colours if possible.
5) Neon colours are very hard to photograph, so if possible please avoid these too.
6) When choosing clothes, it's best to avoid tops with big label writing or recognizable logos on them (Adidas etc) and overly busy patterns. Dance school clothes with logos are of course absolutely fine.
7) Feel free to bring some flowy fabrics with you for extra effect while you dance (see images below for examples)
Click here to see more about Capture the Move photoshoot.