Sample for a Dance magazine

Julie Deane · 02-12-2005, 08:49 PM

Hi -

A friend is giving me a full page ad in a dancer's vanity magazine. It's a black and white booklet paid for by the proud parents of dance students.

In return, I am using her daughter as a model. Here are some sample shots - am I on the right track? I personally like the one with only the upper torso - with the red/white/blue theme, but am not sure it will be "dance"- ey enough.

I have closeups of face/hands/feet etc for detail work, but am showing the three main poses to get some feedback. Thanks in advance!

Michele Rushworth · 02-12-2005, 09:01 PM

I really wouldn't use any of them. None of the poses flatter her rather heavy figure. Some make her look heavier than she needs to be (the first one, for example.)

I would have her pose, standing, facing three quarters to the camera or maybe almost in profile, in a graceful and upward reaching dance pose, with a traditional dance/ballet outfit (not the one shown in the second example).

Julie Deane · 02-12-2005, 09:08 PM

Hi Michelle -

The figure is a problem. These outfits are all she has that are suitable.
The blue one is the most traditional. It really is not flattering to that midriff, though....
This is a low light situation - darn my north light with trees in the way! I was hesitant to try an "action" pose for fear of blurring.

Julie Deane · 02-12-2005, 09:11 PM

Hi Chris -
Thanks for your comments. The paper quality will not be that good, so I was racking my brain thinking about how to read like a dancer with just a head and shoulders shot.

Thanks to you and Michelle. Time for photo round no. two.

Julie Deane · 02-19-2005, 07:55 PM

Okay -

Here's three that worked pretty well. I prefer the ones with the roses.

Julie Deane · 02-19-2005, 09:21 PM

A few more.

Chris Saper · 02-12-2005, 09:06 PM

Dear Julie,

What a great opportunity! It's really important to start with the best photos you can...

That being said, I think you should take more photos. In the first, I can see that there is a fish-eye distortion caused by not being far enough back from your subject to zoom in.

I think you can take photos that would flatter your subject more- sitting up straight and leaning forward, where you are a bit above eye-level. She will look more slender and more dancer- like this way, I believe.

The red white and blue scheme is not relevant since the ad will be in black and white - but the value pattern IS. The RWB scheme ( and the third) is one that results in isolate chunks of dark and middle values. Whatever images you are considering, look at them in black and white/grayscale mode.

Think also about the size of the image in the ad, and how it will be printed. Even at 8 1/2 x 11, there's not much room for a head, let alone a half figure or full figure pose. Also find out about the quality of paper, and whether the magazine is going to a printer, or will be created by a Xerox machine. The poorer the quality of the outcome print, the more important it is to have an image that will read well in that context - small heads that are Xeroxed will be nearly indistinguishable. So here you see me arguing for a head/shoulders or h/s with hands, unless your ad will be printed properly on high quality stock . You might experiment with dance shoes tied and over the shoulder something like that. The dancer's hair and leotard will convey a lot, after all, it's in a dance magazine

Also, you should move your light source to a more oblique position. It's so head on that you are not left with much light/shadow information to convey the form.

Good luck on this exciting opportunity!