Capturing Movement in Dance Photography is never easy, and it takes years practice and several number of attempts. You have to fast enough to capture people while they are flying in the air or may be moving swiftly no the floor. So, how is it done? Without too much blur. It can be done by using flash like for example a camera like Cannon 20D with 580EX Flash can be used with a white piece of paper with a diffuser.
There are three major things that all camera do while taking a photo. First thing is the focus; second is reading and third is choosing the settings. To make things fast, you need to cut down on these three things. So let’s say we shoot at an ISO value of 800 to 1600. Now by choosing manual settings we will be informing our camera what to do and what not to do. Try setting f/5.0 1/125, after this set the focus and fill the subject in middle frame setting it to manual, by this method you do not have to wait for camera focus.
By using 580EX and pointing it to a mirror or ceiling, can be a significant advantage. If you also set exposure compensation of flash to a value of -1 or -2, that will depend on the ambient light, and you ensure that your don’t get blowed.
In point and shoot camera things can become a bit frustrating, but the saying that it is the photographer and not the cameras is also right. A good photographer can use a point and shoot camera without manual focus and still can take shots that are near to perfect. Holding focus on your subject is what is required in a point to shoot camera without manual settings. Make use of the delay feature where 3 seconds can give you a good time to take a clear, stable shot. Making use of masking tapes and white piece of paper can defuse light without the need for flash.
Now the main thing to discuss is the moving people. In dance photography you have listen to the music, predict some movies and be open for any possibility of happening something. Keep shooting and if you have 5fps shot with you camera try to take one or two at one time.
Pann with subjects use different shutter speeds or f/stops, follow the movement and try using different depth at the time of shot and keep trying you will only get better in time.
