Audition pictures

[Twiggy]

I am completely freaking out at the prospect of upcoming upper school audition and photos are not making it any better!

I took some photos after class last week but i was exhausted and we only had about 20 minutes, needless to say we managed a decent arabesque and the others were abysmal!

i am really struggling with them! the worst i feel in the devloppe picture. off camera i can manage a pretty decent devloppe but as soon as the camera is on down goes the leg up comes the hip and my face looks like i'm going to burst into tears!

do you guys have any advice on taking pictures especially the dreaded devloppe! i need to get my act together soon or i wont be able to send an application in time!

the pictures i have to have for all auditions are:

arabesque

devloppe in sec

tendu

plie in 1ST and 2ND

side back front full views

4th en pointe

2nd en pointe

tendu efface

sorry about the ramble and stress! all help appreciated xxx

Twiggy

[Katymac]

I've video'd DD and used a still from the video - I get quite good results that way

[Interested Parent]

Use video for short burst shots where you hold down the button on the camera. This way you can go into the position at your own pace and your photographer will catch the best second of it. Then you can choose from your shots later. It is stressful. My DD was full of cold and very stressy but I think that's because you feel that this is the first stage in the audition process where you are being scrutinised. Take your time, there's still lots of time to re-do what you don't like. Once we were happy we sent them off to Truprint and had them back within days.

[Twiggy]

Thank you both so much x I definitely believe it's nerves as it is like the first audition! Going to take some more this week

[aballetlife]

just a tip I found, take (especially the full view) photos from a lower angle as it lengthens your body and makes you look better than photos from above!

[Katymac]

& another thing to think about is the background - it shouldn't be busy (pictures/doors/windows)

 

We used a stage with a curtain

 

total relief this year as DD's college is going to take them & I just have to pay

[sarahw]

Katymac that alone makes the pre-voc year worthwhile! ! I HATE doing the photos- mega stressful. ...

[Katymac]

& DD has come home eager to fill in the application forms; last year I had to use a carrot & a stick to get the things done!!

[Dance2013]

Remember the photos being another stressful thing to do in the whole audition process.

 

Lovely that the college do them for you this time katymac, where is DD auditioning, fingers crossed for her

[Anjuli_Bai]

As part of being careful about a background - also consider eliminating shadows.

[Katymac]

The pre-voc have suggested Bird, Urdang & Performers with Masters & The Centre - we are still thinking about Millennium

 

So basically don't know really

[Twiggy]

Thank you all so much x I took some more today and will take more tomorrow and found that if I just think about it as a photoshoot and not an assessment I'm much happier hahah your tips were all brilliant thanks again

Twiggy

[Stirrups36]

Just returned from the RBS audition insight day. They were clear that everyone who applied before the due date is given a first audition.

 

And that the photos were used only as an aide memoir once the auditions had finished.

 

I wonder if this is the same at the other schools.

[Circe]

Stirrups, as I understand it, all the UK schools audition all those that apply. I was also at the insight day - a wake up call to the odds to getting in! I still think though that the audition photos are important, because if you are lucky enough to get to the final drawing board, a photo that demonstrates good technique will be a help. That said, my dd and i have found getting a good full set of photos done for each school a nightmare!

[DancerMiax]

I random little tip that my dance teacher told us is if you take a the picture slightly from an angle, like you were too look up at the dancer, it makes them look like they have longer legs

[taxi4ballet]

If the person taking the photos kneels down or sits on a chair it helps.

[Pas de Quatre]

I always take photos sitting astride a chair which is reversed so I can lean my hands on the chair back, while holding the camera. Another tip I got from a professional is to be quite a long way from the dancer and then zoom in, it minimizes distortion. Lastly, try to avoid using a flash unless you have professional reflectors etc. It can creat weird shadows on the background which make the dancer look fatter. If the photos are a bit dark you can brighten them on a computer.

[swanprincess]

I did my photos last night too- it was hilariously catastrophic!!!! We put up a white screen as a backdrop, and then realised it was completely creased up. I had to stand behind it, carefully holding a cushion so mum could press the iron against it, in an attempt to make it look neat. (It didn't.) I found that video clips are a lot easier to screen-shot, as opposed to trying to hold an arabesque whilst the camera clicked slowlyy..... The photo always seemed to happen just as I lowered my leg or lost my balance!!!! Mum was very patient, although she wasn't impressed that photos in 9 different positions took nearly 2 hours!!! I got the inevitable "we started this 45 minutes ago, if the pose isn't right in the next 3 minutes, I'm putting the camera away!!" Needless to say, we worked on the photos for at least another hour !!!

 

On a slightly more serious note- on my developpe a la seconde (most evil position ever to hold!!!!), one of my hands ended up being slightly off the photo- would it matter?! Or shall I try to take a new one?!x

[southerndancemum]

Hope you dont mind me adding to this thread with a question - does it matter what is in the background to the photos?  i'm guessing no furniture / curtains etc, but if they were done in a studio, would it be ok if the barre was behind DD?  Or doest it need to be a plain background?  I might be able to hang a sheet up somewhere.

Been looking at the requirements for the JB JAs on the website and I cant find anything about that at all.

 

Thanks!

x

[balletqs]

A barre is fine just keep the camera level.

[JulieW]

When my son was assessed out of WL we had to do photos in a hurry for Elmhurst. My dd was doing rehearsals for our local dance school show, so the teacher helped out in a break on the stage in front of a Peter Pan scenery backdrop! He got in ????

[sarahw]

As plain as possible. We've done at home or in village hall where lessons are. Plain wall or full length curtains etc.

 

The most important thing is not to get too stressed over them. At junior level they are an aide memoire for the audition panel. They do not expect studio shots. Your dance teacher should be able to help.

 

Good luck - not getting stressed is easier said than done.

[2dancersmum]

all photos for my DDs for any audition purpose or such like have always had the barre in them as the teacher has always advised DDs as I took the photos in the studio  Never been an issue but you do need to keep the camera steady and level as obviously  you have a horizontal line in the background.