The dance photography genre is perfect for improving your action, portrait, and atmospheric photography skills. But before you do all that, you need to inspire yourself.
Here are 30 of the most popular dance photographers. They will inspire you to go out and photograph people in motion.
30. Dance Photographers: Eva Nys
Eva Nys is a 21-year-old photographer from Arizona. Her photos range from atmospheric outdoor shots to intimate indoor portraits.
Nys also does her models’ makeup and hair. This complete control allows her to take images that are delicate and powerful at the same time.
29. Brooke Trisolini
Brooke Trisolini is a Boston-based artist. She specialises in ballet photography. Most of her photos feature impressive dance moves and models who look comfortable in their own skin.
Trisolini is currently working as a freelance photographer for Boston Ballet.
28. Jeff Yin
Jeff Yin’s love for dance is evident in his entire gallery. His respect for dancers’ hard work allows him to take photos that are compositionally perfect and emotional.
Yin believes that photographers and dancers are similar when it comes to hard work. Like dancers, photographers have to be aware of technical rules. And they pour emotions into their work at the same time.
27. Dane Shitagi / Ballerina Project
Dane Shitagi is an NYC-based photographer with an impressive portfolio. He has over one million followers on Instagram alone. And he has photographed a variety of well-known ballerinas and supermodels.
Shitagi believes that dance photographers don’t have to shoot in studios exclusively. He has taken photos on streets, on bridges, or in cars. He has images in a variety of unusual places that you wouldn’t typically associate with ballet.
Unlike many other photographers, Shitagi isn’t known for his name. People often refer to him as The Ballerina Project. This is a collection of photos he has taken over the course of 17 years.
26. Gene Schiavone
Gene Schiavone is one of today’s most notable dance photographers. He fell in love with photography at a young age but embraced ballet many years later. He’s completely self-taught.
Schiavone is a Staff Photographer for the American Ballet Theatre. He is often featured in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other publications.
25. Damian Tierney
Damian Tierney is an Australian artist. He knew he wanted to be a photographer from a young age.
Together with his sister, Lauren Tierney, he created Primal Studios. This is a studio made exclusively for dancers to express themselves in a comfortable environment.
There, he creates gorgeous studio photos that are minimal yet eye-catching at the same time.
24. Belinda Strodder
Based in Australia, Belinda Strodder is an outstanding dance photographer. Her images are fearless and vibrant.
On her Instagram, you’ll find an eclectic mix of dance and dog photos. One of her personal projects involves taking photos of dogs in New York.
Strodder is often featured in magazines, exhibitions, and campaigns.
23. Richard Calmes
Richard Calmes is a former architect based in Atlanta. His photos are always perfectly lit. He’s a master of dance photography lighting.
His gallery is full of ballerinas dancing in colorful dresses.
Calmes has been featured in New York Times and other major publications.
22. Jordan Matter
Jordan Matter is one of the most famous dance photographers in the world. But he wasn’t always a fan of photography.
His love for acting, along with an introduction to Henri Cartier-Bressons’ photos, inspired him to become a photographer.
With millions of fans on Instagram and YouTube, Matter is continuously inspiring people to take creative photos.
21. Oliver Endhal / Ballet Zaida
Oliver Endhal is a former dancer and photographer. Using Ballet Zaida, his personal project, he aims to make the beauty of ballet more accessible to people of all kinds.
As a former dancer, Endhal understands the heart of dance. This is often overlooked by others. His photos are more intimate and whimsical than a typical portrait.
20. Kiera Lynn
Kiera Lynn is a Dallas-based photographer who was a dancer for 7 years.
Like Oliver Endhal, she understands the complexities of dance and photographs them.
Lynn’s photos are bold, creative, and unique. Instead of sticking to one location or editing style, she experiments with different techniques.
19. Tara Lynne
Tara Lynne has been a professional photographer for 6 years.
She photographs engagements, special events, children, and more. Most of her gallery is filled with dreamy dance photos.
18. Daria Chenikova
Daria Chenikova is a Russian ballet photographer. She often shoots in studios using natural light. This technique makes her photos look raw and emotional.
Chenikova’s models are always lost in their own worlds. In her gallery, you’ll notice a combination of sharp portraits and blurred long exposures.
17. David Hofmann / Sharkcookie
David Hofmann bought his first camera when he was 10. But he became a professional photographer much later in his life.
Hofmann’s love for creativity turned into a career in the movie industry. He worked as an artist for movies by Dreamworks Animation and other companies.
Years later, he became a dance photographer. He takes all kinds of dance photos: outdoor, indoor, and underwater.
16. Ken Browar and Deborah Ory / NYC Dance Project
Ken Browar and Deborah Ory are two photographers who came together to create the NYC Dance Project. Through the project, they aim to inspire and educate people about dancers.
Browar is a fashion photographer and Ory is an editorial photographer and dancer. Together, they take photos that are not only technically perfect but also touching.
They’ve been featured by Hasselblad, CNN, Elle, and many more publications.
15. Vadim Stein
Vadim Stein is a Ukrainian photographer based in Russia. He studied sculpture and restoration, which ultimately led to a photography career.
Stein’s photos clearly reflect his knowledge of shapes and light. All of his images express deep emotions that anyone can relate to.
14. James Jin
James Jin loved taking photos from a young age. He became a dance photographer thanks to his wife and her dancer friends.
Jin’s photos are often taken in a studio with simple yet vibrant backdrops. His models always look joyful and comfortable in their own worlds.
This honesty has earned him over 17,000 followers on Instagram alone.
13. Ira Yakovleva
Ira Yakovleva is a Ukrainian ballet photographer based in Russia.
As a ballerina herself, Yakovleva can relate to her models and take candid photos of them.
She has photographed famous dancers from all over the world. And she has worked with magazines like La Personne.
12. Lois Greenfield
Lois Greenfield has been taking photos for 40 years. Her career as a photojournalist led to dance photography.
Fascinated by the eternity of a capture moment, she decided to start taking photos of dancers.
Greenfield’s photos are often surreal and conceptual. This unique approach to photography has led to collaborations with Disney, Sony, Rolex, and other companies.
11. Darian Volkova
Darian Volkova is an ex-ballerina turned ballet photographer. Her photos focus on both the elegant and gritty sides of ballet.
This honest view of the dance world has given her the chance to work in theatres in France, Finland, Poland, and many other countries.
Volkova’s work has been featured by Instagram, Elle, and others.
10. Alexander Yakovlev
Alexander Yakovlev is a Moscow-based artist who photographs all kinds of dancers. His portfolio includes breakdancers, ballerinas, and gymnasts.
Yakovlev’s most popular photos are his explosive flour portraits (pictured above). These go hand in hand with his dancers’ movements.
After the success of his business, Yakovlev created a company called The Mirages, which sells fine art portrait prints.
9. Omar Z. Robles
Omar Z. Robles is an NYC-based photographer. His love for photography stems from the works of Marcel Marceau.
Marceau, a mime actor, inspired Robles to find beauty even in subtle movements.
This led to a successful photography career, over 300,000 followers on Instagram, and collaborations with Fujifilm, Esquire Magazine, and more.
8. Eric Paré
Eric Paré’s portraits are magical and timeless. His photos often feature “light paintings,” movements that he creates using special lighting tubes.
Using this technique, he takes breathtaking photos of dancers in equally breathtaking locations.
Paré’s signature style has led to collaborations with Audi, CNN, Canon, and more.
7. Magdalena Martin
Magdalena Martin is a Swedish photographer based in France. Her photos often feature pastel colors and always look natural.
Martin takes full advantage of France’s gorgeous locations. In her photos, you’ll often find dancers modeling in front of the Eiffel Tower during sunset, cherry trees, or stunning buildings.
6. Kenneth Brewster Edwards
Kenneth Brewster Edwards is a songwriter and dance photographer. He often uses analog photography to take elegant photos of his models.
Edwards often takes photos in his models’ homes. This gives all of his images an intimate feel.
5. Rachel Neville
Rachel Neville is a former dancer and teacher. She uses her knowledge of dance to create visually stunning photos. Her models are confident and always in motion in her images.
Neville usually takes photos for dance companies. Her images have helped many companies successfully advertise their shows.
4. Luis Pons
Luis Pons is an NYC-based ballet photographer. He started taking photos as a way to heal his heart and mind. This quickly turned into a permanent love for dance photography.
Pons aims to remind people that everyone has the potential to be beautiful and peaceful. His powerful style has attracted over 75,000 loyal followers on Instagram alone.
3. Taylor-Ferné Morris
Taylor-Ferné Morris is an Australian commercial photographer and videographer. She specialises in dance photography.
Morris is a dancer herself. It’s perhaps this ability to relate to dancers that helps her take astounding photos of every model she works with.
2. Mohamed Taher
Mohamed Taher is an Egyptian filmmaker and portrait photographer.
His photography project, Ballerinas of Cairo, went viral a few years ago. His empowering photos focus on identity struggles and stereotypes that millions of women have to face every day.
1. Lisa Tomasetti
Lisa Tomasetti is a Sydney-based photographer who takes photos for films, theatres, and operas.
Tomasetti’s dance photos are atmospheric and perfectly lit, even when they’re candid. This has given her major success: exhibitions, awards, and magazine features.
Conclusion
Dance photographers are, as a whole, mysterious and talented masters of light.
Whether you’re a curious landscape photographer or a fan of beautiful photos, each one of the artists above has something invaluable to teach you through their work.
