Recently I assisted my partner Sharon Blance with a photo-shoot to create promotional dance images for Jess, who is a swing dancer.

The photo-shoot was really fun and Sharon produced some amazing images – you can see all the final images over on her blog.

On her blog, she has included extra information about the purpose of the photo-shoot and the specific goals that needed to be achieved with the final images – it is well worth a read.

Getting a sneak peek

During the photo-shoot I filmed a bunch of BTS footage to capture details about the setup and how Sharon interacts with the dancers to achieve a really polished end result.

In my opinion, having the right gear and knowing how to setup the lights and use the gear is only a small part of what is needed to create amazing photography.

What is most important is knowing what you want to achieve, and being able to work with and interact with your subject to achieve the end result. You can get some great insights into how Sharon works in the video.

The video itself was shot on a completely low budget. I used a Canon IXUS point and shoot to capture the footage, and combined this with a wheeled trolley for some smooth trolley-dolly effect (patent pending). There is mostly regular footage with some time lapse thrown in for good measure. The video, I am ashamed to admit, was cut together in Windows Movie maker – but it was good enough for what we needed.

View the video below, and be sure to head over and take a look at Sharon’s website.

Sharon Blance: Behind the Scenes – Dance Photography from Sharon Blance Image Workshop on Vimeo.