Dance Festivals & Competitions - Photography & Videography
I cover dance festivals and competitions throughout the UK with my "live action" approach to capturing dancers showcasing their talents on stage. In a world where video seems to be King, I will always advocate a photograph over a video - you can't hang a video on a wall! There's just something about a still image that captures the emotion in the movement. However, I'm not daft and I realise that video is becoming more and more in demand, so I am also offer videography alongside photography at dance competitions and festivals.
With years of experience behind me and a solid understanding of dance and performance I have the skills required to capture dancers at their best, in the peak of their movements and showcase their skills.
I am a "dance dad" myself, and so I am more than familiar with dance festivals and competitions. I really enjoy them, not only for the dancing, but also for the sense of friendship among dancers from "rival" schools and the overwhelming support everyone gives to every performer.
Scroll down to see recent examples of my work.
How it works
Full coverage
I will be there from the first section on day one to the last section on the final day. I photograph every dancer unless they opt out - this ensures nobody is missed.
There is no cost to the competition organisers as I market the photos and videos directly to the parents and participants.
Professional equipment
I use professional cameras and lenses that enable me to get the best possible photographs of the dancers on stage. This often means working in less that optimal lighting conditions and following the fast movement of the dancers without prior knowledge of what they are doing in their performances. My cameras are also silent so there's no distractions for the dancers.
Organised galleries
I oragnise photos from festivals into password-protected online galleries for each section allowing parents to quickly view the section their young person was in to find their photographs.
Curated galleries
I select the best shots of each dancer and upload only those un-edited photos to the galleries. This means that dancers and parents/family don't have to sift through an endless stream of photos to get to the good ones.
I strive to get the preview galleries populated as quickly as possible, often as the festival or competition is still running. Sometimes this is not always possible so galleries are may not fully available until after the end of the festival. This has never been an issue as most dancers compete in multiple sections across the festival and to take advantage of my package deals parents like to see all the sections together.
Editing and retouching
I want my customers to receive the best quality photos that are possible. This means that what you see in the preview galleries are unedited photos. Once you order your photos I will then individually edit and retouch each one to make it spectacular for you.
Fair pricing
I price both digital downloads and prints fairly and offer packages that provide discounts to clients.
High-quality downloads & prints
I edit each photo that is ordered to ensure it is the best quality if can be. The downloads that clients purchase are always high-resolution (suitable for printing) and free of watermarks. I personally produce prints to ensure quality control and expediency of service.
I do not offer printing at the event. There are a few reasons for this, but the key reasons are time (I prefer to use my time to create the best photos possible of the dancers)
Fully insured & DBS
I am fully insured with public liability insurance and hold an Enhanced DBS. I'm also a licensed chaperone for North Yorkshire Council so I am also trained in children's safeguarding.
I also only share photos of minors where I have the permission from their parents/carers. No exceptions.