Behind the Scenes of My Favourite Dance Shoot (and What I Learned)

Ever have a shoot that just clicked?

Where everything came together—the dancer, the light, the energy—and you walked away thinking, “Yes. That’s why I do this.” This post is all about one of those magical sessions and what it taught me about creativity, connection, and why preparation matters more than perfection.

The Setup

The shoot took place at golden hour on the Sunshine Coast, with one of my long-time clients and incredibly talented dancers. We wanted to do something that felt both powerful and soft, so we kept styling simple—neutral colours, a flowy skirt, barefoot—and let the movement speak for itself.

We didn’t over-plan. We picked a location with lots of natural textures, showed up with a handful of go-to poses, and left room for spontaneity.

What Went Right

• The light was perfect. Just enough cloud to diffuse the sun without losing that golden glow.

• The dancer felt relaxed and confident. (Spoiler alert: It wasn’t by accident—I made sure to ease her in with simple, grounded poses first.)

• We played! I encouraged her to try movement between shots, and some of our favourite images came from those unscripted moments.

What I Learned

• Start simple to build confidence. That first “safe” pose sets the tone for the entire session.

• Encourage play. The best shots often happen between the poses.

• Over-communicate. Even when things are going well, checking in regularly helps dancers feel seen and supported.

• Preparation pays off. Because I had a solid posing plan and knew how I wanted to use the light, I could be more flexible and creative in the moment.

A Note on Connection

This shoot reminded me how important it is to work with your dancers, not just shoot them. When they feel empowered, seen, and confident—you feel it in the images. And as a photographer, there’s nothing more rewarding than capturing that.

🎯 Want to walk into your next shoot feeling totally prepared?

You don’t need to overcomplicate things. With the right pose structure and approach, you can go from unsure to unstoppable.

Download my FREE 5 Pose Formula and get the exact posing structure I use at nearly every session. It’s designed to help you start strong, build momentum, and wrap with creative variety.

👉 Grab your free copy of the Dance Photo Formula here

✨ You’ll love how much more confident you feel when you have a posing game plan that actually works. Trust me, your dancers will feel it too.