Rachelle en pointe
Model: Rachelle Summers
Studio: Hallam Mill, Photography Studio
Dec, 2016Views
8239
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Dance And Ballet Photo Contest
People's Choice in Dance Photo Challenge
People's Choice in Lets Dance Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Lets Dance Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Footwear Beauty Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
All Star
Virtuoso
Genius
Emotions
Impressed
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Categories
PRO
davidzimmerman_5355
June 07, 2017
Absolutely love this shot, the composition of the light and walls and the model.
Platinum
Kerro
June 17, 2018
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
reginaldojames
October 23, 2018
Lindíssima composição. Voce captou um momento lindo de uma bailarina. Meus melhores parabéns para ambas. Lindo!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
Like many of my other dance related photographs, this was taken at the grand Hallam Mill Photographic Studio in Stockport, England (UK). Though rustic in architecture, the big windows which washes the 3000+sq ft of studio minimalises the background and bare flooring provides a perfect blank canvas for whatever form of dance that is chosen for the images.Time
The image was taken on the 14th of November 2015 at 15:51. This would have put this set close to the time of winter sunset, though, if I recall correctly, this was a fairly overcast day so grey clouds would have diffused any harsh sunlight.Lighting
Natural lightEquipment
Nikon D7000 with a nifty 50mm at f2.2. Even with ISO at 320, shutter speed was 1/50 so I think I may have put the camera on a tripod and worked off a cable shutter release to avoid camera shake (in fact, the whole image as a Raw file is much darker than the processed image).Inspiration
I've worked at Hallam Mill a few times over the past 4 years, each time with a model who has some dancing background or ability. Whilst some dancers might say the hard flooring is not really suitable for a lot of aerial dance work (no bounce or cushioning on landing), the vast space, big natural light, is perfect for static poses (though I have seen some impressive action dance work by other models and photographers at this studio). Those who follow my work, will see that some of my most awarded work is the dance-themed work I've done at this studio with another model (Raphaella McNamara) and the appreciation for this work has also been equal on other photo-sharing platforms. Given the opportunity and the budget (!), I would be doing more and more of this work at the studio with other models, but it's maybe a once a year or every other year opportunity. When the opportunity came to work with Rachelle Summers (UK and internationally published model), I leapt at the chance and planned some dance work into the shoot list for the day. Seeing some of Rachelle's dancing/ballet portfolio assured me that she would be able to carry off some amazing, dramatic shapes, as well as some more softer ideas. As we were working through this set, Rachelle suggested some crouching images whilst en pointe, so we set up, set the camera to continuous frame shooting and fired off a run of images, all the while with Rachelle holding the pointe but trying various angle positions with her hands and this one being the one we both decided on as being one of the favourites from the run.Editing
This is where I probably lose a lot of people who expect hours toiling away to get the perfect finish, but in simple truth, I just tweaked a few sliders using the Windows Photo edit option to brighten the image from the original.In my camera bag
NIkon D7000, Nikon 50mm f1.8D, Tamron 18-270mm, Tokina 11-16mm, Sekonic lightmeter, Nissin flashgun (with plenty of AA batteries!!) and mini flashgun softbox, cable shutter release and spare tripod mountplate.Feedback
Give the model time to warm up/limber up (limbering up doesn't just apply to Zombieland survival!), don't rush the model into poses, find a method which works for both of you, whether you, or the model counts down to a static pose. It may feel necessary to work and work to get the 'perfect' pose, but this runs the risk of tiring the model out and you getting 20-30 'almost there' of the same pose. Playing music may or may not help the model get into the swing of a particular style of dance (I don't think we had ballet music on at the time of this set, might have even been Oasis!) Try to give as many reference points to the model if you're after a particular body shape, hand shape, poise (use google searches and Pinterest and other photography hosting sites for reference/moodboards), even if it means you get up on your tippy toes the best you can yourself (just don't be surprised if you both fall about in fits of giggles at your own 'elegant' efforts!) Consideration should be given to your surroundings as well. What has been commented on this image is the lack of clutter in the background, and though the interior looks rustic and almost industrial, the focus still remains on the model in the foreground. Be sure to give your model plenty of time to rest up and relax limbs, joints, muscles during a set and don't just expect a seamless run of gravity-defying balancing for 20 minutes! Technically, whether working with natural light or studio flash, I would recommend setting up the shot (framing, composition, depth of field focus) on a tripod and ask the model to give you tester reference points of how high within the frame her hand reaches to on static poses and leaps and how far forward or back from where she is actually standing before the pose that she actually moves to for the final position - last thing you and the model wants are images ruined with hands cropped out at the wrists or feet chopped off at the top of her ballet shoes, plus tripod will be necessary if you're working in a low light setting to compensate for the slower shutter speed if, like me, your hands cause 'camera shake'.
