How to Get Professional Photographs

Hey there!

So it’s been awhile since I wrote, but a local dancer, who I admire not only for her creativity, skill, and grace, but also for her intelligence and practicality, posted this blog post about why you should shoot with a professional photographer. It’s lovely – you should definitely read it.

Being me, I wrote an excessively long comment in response to her blog post, but then I thought that I would bring these over here in case anyone was looking for this kind of information. So, go read Sophia’s post and then come back here for more!

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Okay, so time has passed and you’ve read Sophia’s article – thanks for that! In case my comment hasn’t been approved yet (not that shouldn’t approve it, just that it’s 2am and she might be sleeping.

So this is what I added:

“More tips from Nathara of RaMagik and Educated Savage Photography (who happen to be the same person) –

– If you plan to edit your photos yourself or to hire someone else to do it, get permission from your photographer FIRST – to do otherwise is considered rude and is also technically illegal. Some dancers like to do their own edits, and some don’t. And, yes, that includes Instagram filters (the bane of a photographer’s soul!).

– Be upfront with your photographer about WHY you want the photos – tell them you want to use them on promotional materials. This will ensure that you get a photographer with the right kind of experience who is familiar with the process of making promotional materials and will make sure you get what you need.

– Before confirming a date, make sure you will receive digital copies of the images – this is pretty much the norm these days, but there are still photographers who don’t do this.

– When possible, use the watermarked version of your photographs to give a shout out to your photographer – we survive on word of mouth!

– Find a photographer with whom you can collaborate – the best photos come from a partnership of subject and photographer. You, as an artist, need to communicate information about who you are, what you are like, and the kinds of things you are capable of. The photographer typically wants to use their style to tell the story of you as an artist. When you work together in this process, magic happens.

– Lastly – if you love your photographer, promote them like crazy! These days, everyone has a camera and is a “fauxtographer” – the experienced artists, just like in belly dance, get undercut by the enthusiastic amateurs. Do this, and the photographer will do the same for you.

Hope that helps!”

But I thought it would be fun to elaborate with some specifics, expanding on the primer Sophia provides.

• Don’t wear white or black outfits without discussing it with your photographer before hand. Especially if you want a neutral background that can be removed for advertisements and stuff. If you do, you’ll blend into the background and it will be harder for your marketing people (or yourself) to work with your image.
• Discuss the qualities you want to portray in  your photographs. This also means that if you have two very different things you’d like to express, you should discuss this with your photographer. For instance, if you dance with an American Cabaret troupe and also with a Tribal Fusion group, you may want different themes with entirely different moods, sentiments, costumes, etc.
• Compile a look book and be prepared to discuss images with the photographer regarding what you like and what you dislike about them. Not ALL photographers are down for this, but most of them are – especially as working with dancers is NOT a common experience for photographers – the closest they usually get is in their senior portrait sessions (seniors in high school), which are completely different. Pinterest has made this incredibly and ridiculously easy to do. Besides, it’ll give you a better idea of what works and what doesn’t.
• If you are a larger dancer – or a smaller dancer – make sure your photographer has experience and is capable in posing your body type – or be prepared to know your own poses when you show up. Most photographers shoot the average size person (women who feel they are the wrong size typically refuse to take photos) almost exclusively so are not aware of what looks best on alternative body types. TRUST ME!!!!! – No one is so unphotogenic that they cannot be captured beautifully in one or several images. So if your photographer can’t do that, move along to the next one.

• 

  GWC – “guys with camera” – Sophia mentions this in her posts as well. “GWC” is the “industry” slang for a guy who has a camera but does not participate in the “art” of photography – instead, he usually tries to pick up girls through photography and he’s more interested in ogling than art. Studios can be very expensive, though, and many photographers work out of their home or on locations as an alternative, so don’t discount these photographers. But DO ask for references of previous clients that they’ve had, preferably other performers, and contact them in  your preferred method and talk to them about any concerns you may have.

• Hair and make up – does the photographer have a make up artist or hair stylist who they prefer to work with? Often times photographers can offer a package that includes the hair and make up as well which can be a big savings. Not all make up artists and hair stylists know how to do make up or hair for photography – it’s a different set of skills, so be aware of that (for instance, glitter is pointless on still photos, and you want to make sure you use matte make ups instead of shimmering ones). If not, try to find a good make up and hair stylist (abbreviated in the industry as MUAH) with experience in photography. A good MUAH is worth their weight in gold. However, if you can’t afford one, apply your own make up one level down from a big theater performance level.
• If you have particular body parts which you’re sensitive about, make sure to let your photographer and MUAH know ahead of time.

Of course, I have a lot more to say on the subject, but this should give you a certain level of preparedness to make the most out of your promotional session. And the very most important thing you need to do is:

HAVE A FUN TIME!

If you have any questions, drop them in the box – let’s do this!

~ Ed Savage