Long Sequences

Sequences and Moments

If you don't hear the beat you can't shoot the action

This page is on the Class Disk Only - not on the web
Strictly for dance students

All pictures are Copyright Mike Strong and the pictures on this page are strictly limited in usage.
Please do not put any of these on the web or take them for other use.

Links to Example Sets Below

Long Sequences #1
  Twenty-Seven Frames
Turns - getting each one
Long Sequences #2
   First set
   Second set

Long Sequences

These pictures are mostly rejects in terms of what we can use to hand out for publication. The only reason they are here is because they are useful as an illustration of 1) what you can expect by shooting in the music and 2) as an exercise in picking acceptable publicity photos.

27-Frame Sequence

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This is a series of frames with a couple breaks but mostly in sequence. Kimberly Cowen in the Nutcracker, KCB 2007. Exposure changes a couple of times, wiping out some of the shots as far as usability.
But they will serve here as an example for educational purposes.
(These don't go anywhere else, really!)

Again, hitting each point in the music in sequence.

These are not all perfect frames or even acceptable but this is what you should be able to shoot on a regular basis with any good dancer/company, especially for a soloist, on any day when you understand what you are shooting. If you still think this is a difficult hunt for some motion going on or if you "motor-drive' it, you won't get these to select from.

For the motor-drive mindset. You can't get these by holding down the shutter and letting the camera do its pray and spray. You must shoot each frame on purpose to get the best percentages.

2109
2111

The gaps in the frame numbers were most likely out of focus or sometimes lost framing. Automatic focus is one of those things I never used until I went fully digital. Then it became all but mandatory.

Still, when the focus point wanders off the subject you can either get a blurry photo or the camera will block your shutter click, causing the shutter to click well after you wanted.

Here the technique is to focus in the center, then, holding the shutter button in pre-focus, move the frame before clicking all the way. If the subject is at the center (where you are focusing) shooting is much smoother.

The first shot after a break in frame numbers, even one, is in yellow boldface to make it easier to tell which frames came immediatelyl after. (i.e. upper right of here and right of here)

When shooting this I did not have in mind using them as an example of shooting within the music or even of shooting. Normally I get rid of the out of focus ones first.

Had I originally intended this for an educational example I would have left in the unfocused (or anything else) shots so that you could see the process.

There are 27 frames shown in all, out of 34 frames shot.

2113

2114
2115

2116
Quick Note: I try not to shoot these and I've trained myself pretty well to avoid these, but they still get in from time to time. Not that this angle is always bad. Either pants or tutu are normal and this is a fairly standard movement toward the audience but in some outfits this comes off as an "up-the-skirt" shot. Generally when I do get what look like "up-skirts" I get rid of them along with the out-of-focus shots.
2117

2118
2123

2125
2126

2127
2128

2129
2130

2131
2132

2134
2136

2138
2140

2141
2142

2143
2144

2145
2146

Full Circle 1

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Although we are looking for only the best shot, not the full sequence (used here for illustration of camera technique) we still need to shoot each count and aim to get the best spot. Preferably, our pick or picks will not only have Matthew at the top of the move but also show his face and with a good expression.

Not all of these pictures will work, of course, but they all need to be shot, not just to provide "cover" but also to keep your sharpness. With a good dancer (as here) if your shot is off it is most likely the photographer who is off, not the dancer.

This means that you really do want to pick the best shot in order to accurately represent what the dancer is doing. Remember the camera records when and what you shot more than it records what the dancer was doing.

These are all presented here as an educational example so that you can see the entire set of shots.

Frames 2382 to 2389

Frame # 2382

Frame # 2383 - This is a pick
NOTE: I've done tonal and contrast adjustments on this one, the others are un-adjusted.

Frame # 2384 - almost, but soft on support foot

Frame # 2385 - a little too early

Frame # 2386 - back side

Frame # 2387 - side and a lot of "stuff" cluttering his background

Frame # 2388 - a secondary pick, but prefer #2383

Frame # 2389 - not bad but foot touching the ground could be off the ground and lead foot higher, shot is a tad too soon

Long Sequence Set #2

Images are in alphbetical order by file name. The dancer is Rachel Coats in The Nutcracker

NOTE: In the pictures on this page I am not showing all desirable shots. Only a handful, at best, should be considered usable for publication. This is an educational example to let you see that shooting with the music, merely listening to the beat, while monitoring the dancer, allows you to catch active moments in the dance with far better percentage results than either continuous-drive shooting or trying to catch motion as you spot it.

There are 40 images in all. Though only a handful are really usable, what you should note is that almost all are either in the air or at the top of a movement - look at the feet. Some of the feet are simply not in any good position yet and should obviously be rejected, a hand or two is clipped at the top, some legs are not fully extended and so forth.

Pay particular attention to frame numbers 2646, 2647, 2648, 2649. See the note below, just above the four frames and then compare the arabesque with frame 2662 farther below.

A lot of the pictures which I consider rejects here, for technical reasons, would, sad experience shows, be published eagerly by newspapers, who don't know better. I've seen them, and usually in very large size on the page. Clearly they were proud of their shots and didn't know how bad they were. This is where your knowledge as a dancer is required. If you are sending company or individual pictures to a publication, make sure they are technically right. The persons looking at the pictures will tend to associate you with bad technique rather than the photographer and editor with bad timing and bad choice.

NCrkr07_2641_p.JPG - 60.89 kb

NCrkr07_2642_p.JPG - 65.442 kb

NCrkr07_2643_p.JPG - 69.231 kb

NCrkr07_2644_p.JPG - 65.952 kb

NCrkr07_2645_p.JPG - 67.243 kb

Frame numbers 2646, 2647, 2648, 2649.

Four arabesque shots - At first glance it might seem that we are really just looking at four frames of continous drive (i.e. all taken within a second or so, depending on drive speed). Look more carefully at 1) the dancers' positions behind Rachel and 2) at the position of Rachel's head against the candy canes on the painted backdrop. They all move significantly.

The corps' arms sway from one side to another and in the fourth frame (2649) the corps even stands. As you notice this watch Rachel's position by looking at the candy canes behind her head. She moves a small amount to the right each time. The camera, on a tripod, remained where it was and the picture frames were shot across several beats of music. Using continuous drive would have completely lost this sequence.

Notice the B&W and Color versions of frame 2662 farther down below and compare her consistent execution.

NCrkr07_2646_p.JPG - 66.752 kb

NCrkr07_2647_p.JPG - 66.609 kb

NCrkr07_2648_p.JPG - 67.117 kb

NCrkr07_2649_p.JPG - 67.743 kb

Above sequence continued ...

NCrkr07_2650_p.JPG - 56.817 kb

NCrkr07_2651_p.JPG - 56.304 kb

NCrkr07_2652_p.JPG - 56.938 kb

Quick comment on several frames below - her support foot alone would cause us to reject this shot.
Clearly I am shooting at the wrong spot. You really want the support foot up and arched.
Normally this is buried but I am showing it to you because it illustrates the consistency you get when shooting with the music
and because this is exactly the sort of shot that news photographers are liable to print full-page, proudly, while you and your company cringe.

NCrkr07_2653_p.JPG - 57.774 kb

NCrkr07_2654_p.JPG - 58.049 kb

NCrkr07_2655_p.JPG - 56.909 kb

NCrkr07_2656_p.JPG - 55.782 kb

NCrkr07_2657_p.JPG - 56.133 kb

Missing Frame # 2658

NCrkr07_2659_p.JPG - 55.496 kb

NCrkr07_2660_p.JPG - 55.135 kb

Missing Frame # 2661

Here are two versions (color and grayscale) of a shot of an arabesque. In case you missed them, check out frame numbers 2646, 2647, 2648, 2649 above for comparison with this picture.

NCrkr07_2662ac_g_p.jpg - 74.516 kb (grayscale)

NCrkr07_2662ac_p.jpg - 81.899 kb (color)

Start of New Sequence

19 frames in a row, some with a pause between. Again, this is to illustrate the consistency you should be getting
by listening and counting rather than just looking for motion to trigger your shutter.

NCrkr07_2694_p.JPG - 60.973 kb

NCrkr07_2695_p.JPG - 55.728 kb

NCrkr07_2696_p.JPG - 58.409 kb

NCrkr07_2697_p.JPG - 60.106 kb

NCrkr07_2698_p.JPG - 60.414 kb

NCrkr07_2699_p.JPG - 59.726 kb

NCrkr07_2700_p.JPG - 51.931 kb

NCrkr07_2701_p.JPG - 46.245 kb

NCrkr07_2702_p.JPG - 52.932 kb

NCrkr07_2703_p.JPG - 53.534 kb

NCrkr07_2704_p.JPG - 55.817 kb

NCrkr07_2705_p.JPG - 54.623 kb

NCrkr07_2706_p.JPG - 56.012 kb

NCrkr07_2707_p.JPG - 51.51 kb

NCrkr07_2708_p.JPG - 57.327 kb

NCrkr07_2709_p.JPG - 59.367 kb

NCrkr07_2710_p.JPG - 50.669 kb

NCrkr07_2711_p.JPG - 65.835 kb

NCrkr07_2712_p.JPG - 62.983 kb

27-Frame Sequence Return to top of this document
This is a series of frames with a couple breaks but mostly in sequence. Kimberly Cowen in the Nutcracker, KCB 2007. Exposure changes a couple of times, wiping out some of the shots as far as usability. But they will serve here as an example for educational purposes. (These don't go anywhere else, really!) Again, hitting each point in the music in sequence. These are not all perfect frames or even acceptable but this is what you should be able to shoot on a regular basis with any good dancer/company, especially for a soloist, on any day when you understand what you are shooting. If you still think this is a difficult hunt for some motion going on or if you "motor-drive' it, you won't get these to select from. For the motor-drive mindset. You can't get these by holding down the shutter and letting the camera do its pray and spray. You must shoot each frame on purpose to get the best percentages.
2109	2111
The gaps in the frame numbers were most likely out of focus or sometimes lost framing. Automatic focus is one of those things I never used until I went fully digital. Then it became all but mandatory. Still, when the focus point wanders off the subject you can either get a blurry photo or the camera will block your shutter click, causing the shutter to click well after you wanted. Here the technique is to focus in the center, then, holding the shutter button in pre-focus, move the frame before clicking all the way. If the subject is at the center (where you are focusing) shooting is much smoother. The first shot after a break in frame numbers, even one, is in yellow boldface to make it easier to tell which frames came immediatelyl after. (i.e. upper right of here and right of here) When shooting this I did not have in mind using them as an example of shooting within the music or even of shooting. Normally I get rid of the out of focus ones first. Had I originally intended this for an educational example I would have left in the unfocused (or anything else) shots so that you could see the process. There are 27 frames shown in all, out of 34 frames shot.	2113
2114	2115
2116 Quick Note: I try not to shoot these and I've trained myself pretty well to avoid these, but they still get in from time to time. Not that this angle is always bad. Either pants or tutu are normal and this is a fairly standard movement toward the audience but in some outfits this comes off as an "up-the-skirt" shot. Generally when I do get what look like "up-skirts" I get rid of them along with the out-of-focus shots.	2117
2118	2123
2125	2126
2127	2128
2129	2130
2131	2132
2134	2136
2138	2140
2141	2142
2143	2144
2145	2146

Sequences and Moments

If you don't hear the beat you can't shoot the action

This page is on the Class Disk Only - not on the web Strictly for dance students

Links to Example Sets Below

Long Sequences

27-Frame Sequence

Full Circle 1

Long Sequence Set #2

Frame numbers 2646, 2647, 2648, 2649.

Start of New Sequence

This page is on the Class Disk Only - not on the web
Strictly for dance students