Equipment for Photographing Dancers

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Defuze

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Li
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Hi everyone,

I host a monthly dance event where we have a dance-floor full of people dancing salsa in couples.

I would like to get the correct camera and lens for capturing these dancers but there are a few challenges:
  • Low light (slightly more light than a typical nightclub - you can see everything with the human eye but its not bright)
  • Fast moving subjects, although there are moments where the action stops/slows down
  • Close shooting distance of 2-3m, as the dance floor is quite full and other dancers can get in the way of your shot
  • Keeping two separate dancers in focus even though one might be closer - bokeh is not important
I am new to photography, but my understanding is that there are certain things in conflict, like the need for a quick shutter speed for the fast action and narrow aperture to keep everything in focus would also reduce the amount of light coming into the sensor, which is problematic in a low light environment. Using flash is something that I don't know much about but I am aware that it can ruin images.

I look forward to your advice on what camera/lens/flash would be appropriate for this situation. I have a budget up to £2500.

Thanks,

Li
 
Welcome to TP :)

To state the obvious, photography needs light. You could throw thousands at this and still have problems so don't rush out and blow £2500 on advice from a photo forum before you have a good grasp of what's needed and how to use it.

From what you've said, this situation sounds similar to the challenge of the first dance at a wedding, and that invariably needs flash - often several flash units carefully arranged on stands. That is a whole different skill in itself and, despite the substantial investment in gear, is more about knowledge and experience.

But you've got to start somewhere. My advice would be to look at what wedding photographers are doing but see that as a longer term ambition. Then set your sights a little lower, get a decent camera and flash, then learn how to use them. Check out nightclub photography - that's a lot easier and may be a way forward.

Good luck!
 
Do you have control over the lighting? Is it stage lighting with dimmable lighting or is it just a choice of on/off? Do the couples move around the stage, or is there an area where you could add some lighting in a specific area, each couple gradually moves into that area, and then rotate out of it.

I shoot theatre, and always go on the final dress rehearsal night where there isn't a paid audience. Its the last opportunity the cast and crew have to run a show properly, so they don't want distractions such as flashes going off, so I always shoot without flash. In practice it means high ISO, wide apertures and uncomfortably show shutter speeds and eventually deleting quite a lot of shots that didn't quite work out. Blurred faces is usually what I delete, I can tolerate blurred arms and legs if the core of the body is sharp.

I'd be wanting to use a modernish full frame camera with a fast wide angle lens such as a 24-70 f/2.8 or something wider depending on the style of dance.

Not distracting the competitors would be my aim.
 
My first thought is 2-3m isn't a lot of room so what are you expecting? Full body couple shots? Half body couple shots?

Years ago I used to take a lot of pictures at gigs with a film SLR and later briefly attempted it with early digital (that was a disaster :D) and although flash wasn't banned it could get on peoples nerves. When I could use flash the gear became less of an issue and f3.5-5.6 (expensive f1.x prime not needed) with flash and shutter speeds in the double digits got usable results.
 
HoppyUK said:
Welcome to TP :)

To state the obvious, photography needs light. You could throw thousands at this and still have problems so don't rush out and blow £2500 on advice from a photo forum before you have a good grasp of what's needed and how to use it.

From what you've said, this situation sounds similar to the challenge of the first dance at a wedding, and that invariably needs flash - often several flash units carefully arranged on stands. That is a whole different skill in itself and, despite the substantial investment in gear, is more about knowledge and experience.

But you've got to start somewhere. My advice would be to look at what wedding photographers are doing but see that as a longer term ambition. Then set your sights a little lower, get a decent camera and flash, then learn how to use them. Check out nightclub photography - that's a lot easier and may be a way forward.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thinking about it a bit more and trying to be more helpful/specific, I think what I'd try first is a flash unit (eg Godox AD200) on a stand with an umbrella softbox to provide a nice pool of attractive soft light in front of the camera. Let the rest of the room go dark. Then get the dancers to move into your chosen position. The flash will freeze movement. That's as easy as it gets for a quality result. Any decent camera with a kit zoom will be fine.
 
HoppyUK said:
Thinking about it a bit more and trying to be more helpful/specific, I think what I'd try first is a flash unit (eg Godox AD200) on a stand with an umbrella softbox to provide a nice pool of attractive soft light in front of the camera. Let the rest of the room go dark. Then get the dancers to move into your chosen position. The flash will freeze movement. That's as easy as it gets for a quality result. Any decent camera with a kit zoom will be fine.
Click to expand...

Defuze said:
Hi everyone,

I host a monthly dance event where we have a dance-floor full of people dancing salsa in couples.
Click to expand...

I took a tripod once and only once, for video and at the request of the band. I positioned it way out of the traffic but people seemed to make a point of getting it to be in their way.

Flash can freeze movement and a slower shutter speed could keep more of the background ambiance but a stand or tripod? I suppose it depends on the venue and the people there.
 
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woof woof said:
I took a tripod once and only once, for video and at the request of the band. I positioned it way out of the traffic but people seemed to make a point of getting it to be in their way.

Flash can freeze movement and a slower shutter speed could keep more of the background ambiance but a stand or tripod? I suppose it depends on the venue and the people there.
Click to expand...

It's not a stage show, the OP runs the dance class so should have some control. If a stand isn't practical, then get someone to hold the light. But flash is what's needed for a good result and it's got to go somewhere.
 
HoppyUK said:
It's not a stage show, the OP runs the dance class so should have some control. If a stand isn't practical, then get someone to hold the light. But flash is what's needed for a good result and it's got to go somewhere.
Click to expand...

A stage in front of a dance floor is somewhat comparable IMO. But there you go.

Defuze said:
Hi everyone,

I host a monthly dance event where we have a dance-floor full of people dancing salsa in couples...

Close shooting distance of 2-3m, as the dance floor is quite full and other dancers can get in the way of your shot
Click to expand...

These are the bits that could be crucial. Stands could be completely impractical or they could be the answer. If they are the answer then I'd guess that the shoot could be more intrusive than I'd imagined it was going to be. I'd imagined a less intrusive and less disruptive to other dancers shoot.
 
It all hinges on how we imagine the situation to be. I'm thinking a dance class in some kind of small hall, where the light is not only dim but of rubbish quality, but with the advantage of a of degree of control and where 2-3m distance is fine. That's to say, not some kind of stage performance where we're spectators and completely at the mercy of what happens and how the light behaves.

Very different scenarios but I could be completely wrong :)
 
The problem as I see it is about the situation and ‘atmosphere’ rather than anything gear related.

if I wanted to shoot ‘dance’ I’d want complete control of space, light etc. Basically a posed image.

If I wanted to capture the atmosphere of a packed dance floor, then there’s less control and the keeper rate goes through the floor, it gets close to spray and pray, you see an image in the viewfinder, click and as the mirror drops your view is now of the back of a different dancer that’s moved into view. Check your image and you find that your ‘subject’ is half concealed by the interloper.

as for gear, a full frame camera with a UWA zoom and a flash with remote trigger. My start point is to hand hold the flash in my left hand, but a camera mounted flash bounced off a wall is something else I’d use.

for techniques to learn - mixing flash and ambient exposures, dragging the shutter, bouncing flash, modifying the flash in other ways.

it all depends on an expected outcome - if someone asked me to shoot some dancers, I’d be wanting the first scenario with total control of posed shots.
 
Is there a website you could mention that has examples of the type of photos you want to create?
 
I have started doing exactly this at my salsa club over the last year or so.

Here's what I've learned:
As a dancer, I really hate when people are running around with a flash popping in my face, so I don't use one. I have tried various LED lights as they are less blinding, but are still a distraction.

I've also discussed the lighting with the lady who runs the club, we've gone for more of a "sunset" vibe with more yellows and oranges,rather than reds/blues/greens, and this has improved things immensely.

I use a Sony A6500 and a variety of lenses, with as low an F number as possible, my most recent acquisition is a Sigma 56mm 1.4 which allows me to photograph from a "safe distance" and lets enough light in. Using a shallow depth of field also means you tend to focus more on each couple.

I've found the better photos do have some motion blur - too many salsa photographers seem to want to freeze things, but I think you lose the "sense of the dance" if you do that.

One great tip, try to catch people smiling - this works much better!

Here's a few of my better ones - they tend to end up on Facebook/electronic devices, so top quality is not essential.A6502783.JPGA6502787.JPGA6502667.JPG
 
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