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Techniques to Photograph a Dance Recital

Dance recitals can be a challenging environment when it comes to taking pictures. Low lighting in the audience, special lighting effects on the stage, and fast-moving dancers make it difficult to capture the event on film. To prevent your dance recital photos from turning out dull or blurry, take extra precautions by using certain camera settings and accessories.
  1. Stabilize Your Camera

    • Since the subjects on stage move so quickly, stabilizing your camera helps decrease the blur of your pictures. If you have the space, set up a tripod to hold your camera. If you cannot use a tripod, Kodak's A Thousand Words photography blog suggests sitting in an aisle seat, leaning all the way back and bracing your elbows on the armrests of the chair to steady the camera while you shoot.

    Use An External Flash

    • Adding an external flash to your camera allows you to get better pictures at further distances, according to the Digital Picture Zone web page. Since dance recitals often take place in large auditoriums or performance spaces, it becomes difficult to get a good shot from far away if you only use the camera's built-in flash. The Digital Picture Zone suggests adding gel to the external flash in order to make the light appropriate for the bulbs in the room.

    Take Extra Photos

    • Make sure that you have a sufficient amount of storage space on your camera so that you can take as many photos as you please. Action shots are difficult to capture and comparatively few will turn out to your liking. Both the Digital Picture Zone and Kodak's A Thousand Words blog recommend taking extra shots so that you have plenty to choose from.

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