Royal Ballet Diary 2016

[cavycapers]

I received my Royal Ballet diary as usual on Christmas day, and was very surprised to recognise three of the pictures as having been used in previous recent diaries, particularly the one for week beginning 9th May, of Akane Takada in Live Fire Exercise, which was used last year. Surely the Royal Ballet has a HUGE selection of photos to choose from, and can find original ones to use each year?

[Mary]

Yes, my annual Christmas gift calendar also features images from 2010 and 2012.....hmm,

I chuckled at the March one which is very similar to the one that caused so much debate on ballet forum-about inappropriate /off-puttingly revealing postures!

 

We need a ballet forum calendar....

[johnross]

That sounds possible but who would choose the pictures? Perhaps allocate certain months to certain photographers. The moderators would be good at choosing the right images

[Sim]

Hmmmm....maybe something to think about for 2017!!

[alison]

Wouldn't there be contractual issues involved?

[zxDaveM]

Wouldn't there be contractual issues involved?

 

Yes - I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be any RB pics in it

[Jacqueline]

Didn't this come up before when I asked Dave about compiling his wonderful photos in a book or calendar type deal. The answer was that it would be a minefield of contractual obligations, permission to use images and all in all, sadly but prohibitively expensive. Shame, as it would be a terrific product, whatever form it took. 

[sarahw]

Yes we noticed the calendar repeat. We were a bit disappointed there are so few classical pictures.

[jmhopton]

I was also disappointed with the lack of classical photos in their 2016 calendar. Even at £4.99 I wasn't tempted.

[Fiz]

Yes, I didn't bother with an RB calendar this year either.

[tabitha]

Also very disappointed with the repeat of photos from recent years. Seems very much like an afterthought this year.

[Jan McNulty]

Some years ago both Birmingham Royal Ballet and Northern Ballet had their own calendars.  I think both companies gave up after a couple of years because they cost too much to produce compared to the numbers bought.

[alison]

I don't know about anyone else, but for me it would have to be a particularly interesting photograph for me to want to have it on my wall for a whole month.  Just because someone is striking an arabesque, or doing a "5-to-6" or something is not enough.  That's why I've rejected most animal/celebrity-type calendars over the years, especially those which are just head-and-shoulders.  I look at them and think "Yes, that's a really nice photograph, but a whole month of it?  Maybe not."  For a start, a photo more or less has to have some sort of interesting background, rather than being a "studio" shot, so something taken mid-production is more likely to be of interest to me, rather than having a blank backdrop.

[Don Q Fan]

There must be a cheap way to make calendars because on a royal blog I follow they made a small 6"x6" Duchess of Cambridge calendar themselves in cooperation with one photographer it was so popular they had to do a second run so it can't be that dear. I appreciate with ballet it is not just the photographer's copyright but the ballet company as well.  ENB did a nice one with Daria Klimentova's photos one year...maybe Andre Uspenski could do a better one for RB.

I always have a ballet calendar up 12"x12" from The Works - they usually have one - with a diary - for £3 - bargain! I have got it somewhere just need to find it and get it up on Friday:-)  Otherwise go to The Calendar Club as they will be selling off cheap soon as usually have a ballet one too.