From Studio to Stage – Mastering Lighting Techniques for Dance Photography

✨ Tired of second-guessing your lighting setup?

If you’ve ever felt like your photos were almost there—but just missing that final bit of drama, clarity, or magic—chances are, it comes down to lighting. And the truth is: once you understand light, everything else falls into place.

In this workshop, lighting is one of the core foundations we’ll master together—because when you're photographing dance, light is what makes the movement come alive.

Let’s break down what you’ll learn about studio and stage lighting—and how it will completely transform your dance photography.

🎯 Why Lighting Is Everything in Dance Photography

Dance is about movement, form, and feeling. Great lighting allows you to highlight a dancer’s extension, freeze the perfect leap mid-air, and create emotion with shadow and glow.

But it’s not just about using more lights. It’s about knowing how to shape them. At the workshop, we’ll cover both natural light tricks and studio flash setups, so you feel confident in any environment.

🔦 What You’ll Learn:

✅ Clean, repeatable lighting setups for studio shoots

You’ll learn 1-2 go-to lighting setups that you can replicate over and over again—so no matter the space, your work stays consistent.

✅ How to light for motion

Dance isn't static—and your lighting shouldn’t be either. We'll explore how to light for movement, not just stillness, so you capture the full energy of the performance.

✅ How to problem-solve on the fly

Whether you're dealing with reflective costumes, dark studios, or stage lighting that constantly changes—we’ll troubleshoot those common challenges together.

✅ Creative use of light for storytelling

Learn how to use backlighting, silhouettes, shadows, and even coloured gels to inject drama and emotion into your dance portraits.

👀 Beyond the Studio: What About Stage Photography?

We'll also talk about how to work with unpredictable stage lighting, how to prep your camera settings in advance, and how to read the light on the fly so you don’t miss key moments.

It’s not about perfect conditions. It’s about being prepared to create magic with what you have.

🎯 Lighting is a skill that pays off in every genre of photography—dance just happens to be one of the best ways to learn it.

Grab the FREE 5 Pose Formula—a go-to guide that helps you kick off any dance shoot with structure and flow (even if you’re nervous or new).

👉 Download the FREE 5 Pose Formula here

And if you want even more variety? The Dance Pose Playbook gives you a full library of poses to spark creativity and keep the momentum going—especially when inspiration runs low.

✨ Start strong, shoot confidently, and create images that dancers love.