Dancers – inspiration

I went to a ballet for the first time in my life just a couple of weeks ago. The real ballet, although I have seen some dance performances here and there. No judgement, please. I prefer theater, and avoided opera or ballet for a long time. Until I got to the age to at least try and see if I really don’t like it.

It turned out, I enjoyed it a lot. I was sitting on the balcony, looking at the graceful, calculated movements and thinking how this can be shown photographically. I studied the light and how the silhouettes moving on the scene interacted with it. When I came back, I went online, to search out for some work I knew about, photographs of dancers, to study how they are done.

Here are the links to some of my favorites, slow shutter motion images of dancing:

• Natural Dance – portfolio of beautiful movement in slow motion by Hal Easteman
• Curve and Rhythm – full of color and energy portfolios focusing on beauty of moving woman body by Cynthia Haynes
• Motion – study of dancers movement in subdued color, almost in monochrome to focus on form and gesture by Bill Wadman
• Nude – very similar in tones to Bill Wadman’s, yet completely different in technique and feel, finished movement portfolio by Shinichi Maruyama

See some additional inspiration on Pinterest board. And if you know of photographer or project showing similar work, dance or dancers in slow motion – please share them on Facebook!