I love love love ballerina senior pictures. Or really any pictures of dancers. I have had some fantastic opportunities over the years to photograph dancers of all ages, in all levels of professionalism (from passionate enthusiasts to pre-professionals) and I am always enthralled with the grace, the poise, the presence ballerinas exude when being photographed.
Here are a few of my favorites over the years:
https://www.photographybyjacquelynn.com/emma-ballerina/
https://www.photographybyjacquelynn.com/alanah-just-dance/
https://www.photographybyjacquelynn.com/just-dance/
Jacqueline didn’t want her whole session to focus on dance, but because it has been such a large part of her life she definitely wanted to incorporate it into her senior pictures. I always encourage seniors to incorporate their passions into their sessions.
Tips for photographing ballerinas
Ballerina senior pictures require 2 major things, in my experience – good lighting and multiple takes and shots to be sure we get it right (because I am not a dancer, what looks right to me can look really off to the dancer – like the toes aren’t pointed or the legs aren’t straight, or the hands are weird. It’s always a good idea to have mom or someone used to watching for these things come along to point out what looks right and doesn’t!)
Incorporating multiple looks for senior pictures
We did three clothing looks, allowing Jacqueline to bring her style and personality (and school pride!) into the session. And the location we used was amazing. When Jacqueline’s mom called me she told me Jacqueline wanted something different for her photos – something in a location that others weren’t using, and something that really stood out from the rest. I think we definitely got that!
Despite the fact that it was raining (yes, in October) all that day across Tucson, we somehow didn’t get soaked, and instead we got some amazing clouds and some beautiful light. I am so glad the day worked out the way it did! And I am thrilled to have worked with such a fantastic senior!
