Capturing Motion – Tips for Photographing Dancers in Action

🕺 Struggling to freeze that perfect leap at its peak?

We’ve all been there. You press the shutter a second too late, and the magic moment—the one where technique, expression, and flight align—is gone.

Photographing dancers in motion is one of the most challenging AND rewarding things you can do with your camera. But it doesn’t have to feel intimidating.

Whether you're brand new to dance photography or just want to sharpen your skills, here are some essential tips I’ll be teaching in my upcoming dance photography workshop to help you nail those high-action shots every time.

💡 How to Capture Motion with Intention (Not Just Luck)

1. Learn the Dancer’s Timing

Understanding dance technique will help you anticipate the moment—whether it’s the height of a jump or the pause before a turn. Don’t just follow the movement. Learn the rhythm and lead with it.

2. Use a Fast Shutter Speed

To freeze a jump, start with at least 1/1000s. You’ll need to adjust based on lighting, but the key is to prioritise shutter over aperture in high-action moments.

3. Pre-Focus & Frame with Intention

Pre-focus where the dancer will land mid-air. Combine that with continuous burst mode (and good timing), and you’re far more likely to capture the clean, crisp peak of the movement.

4. Pose INTO the Movement

Guide your dancer into shapes that naturally flow into the next. Even with technical poses, you can use prompts that create energy and transition. Movement doesn’t always mean leaping—it can live in the breath, the arms, or even the fabric.

5. Light for Motion

This is a big one. Flat light might freeze movement, but it doesn’t highlight it. In the workshop, I’ll show you how to light for motion so your subject has shape, form, and that signature glow dancers love.

👟 Real Practice. Real Dancers. Real Results.

These tips are just the start. The best way to truly learn how to photograph dancers in motion is with hands-on experience. At the workshop, you’ll be working with real dancers who are trained to hit and hold moments on cue—so you can focus on refining your settings, angles, and timing.

And the best part? You’ll have a mentor (hi, that’s me!) walking you through it in real time.

🎯 If you want to feel confident capturing motion—not just crossing your fingers—this is your moment.

Join us at the next dance photography workshop where you’ll learn the strategies, lighting, and posing techniques that make motion photography feel natural.

🎟️ Grab your spot now—this is where you level up and capture the moments that move people.