The Ideas in my Head

This was an idea I had rolling around my brain for possible dance portraits for the Theatre Ballet Company. While we eventually opted for a simpler head shot instead of going with the silhouette theme, it was a fun learning experience.

The first ideas was to try to make you do a double take and with a mirrored version of the main dancer. Is that how a shadow works? Is this Photoshop? Or would it be subtle and the viewer would go "cool photo!"

My main light was a large softbox overhead and another monolight to the left, high and behind to get a little separation. I used a Nikon SB-900 speed light and fired it way off to my right placed on the ground with a snoot to keep it from spilling all over the background. I gelled it with a 1/2 CTO.

It was harder then I thought to get good consistent results in camera. The shadow subject needs to face straight on to the light (SB900) and not the camera. The light needed to go way back. -About 25 feet. The closer the subject to the wall, the smaller and more defined the shadow of the dancer. To get the timing for jumps I framed the shadow dancer so I could see them in the view finder and clicked at the peak action, cropping them out in the final image.

Thanks Adrienne, Ashley and Mackenzie for you patience and the smiles.