“Développé Devant” by Jerry Ranch

Communicating movement in the static medium of photography is a challenge that invites experimentation. Dance movement is of interest to me as it is evocative – it communicates without verbalization. When the dance is imaged in the studio, the quality and quantity of light can be controlled and shaped to affect the desired aesthetic. I have been fortunate to have worked with several dancers and utilized a variety of approaches to communicate movement. Capture techniques have included multiple exposures, slow shutter, panning, camera movement, and static capture. Each of these techniques has been elevated to a style by photographers.

In this 2017 image, the now-retired professional dancer Vashti Goracke was imaged in a studio as a static rendering of a balletic position. As an art director and photographer, I arrange the wardrobe, the lighting, and the background, arrange for the rental studio, manage gear logistics, arrange insurance, acquire model release, and communicate the imaging goals. Vashti does her warmup, and while she “does her thing,” I am the observer, working to capture the feeling of movement while producing a technically sound photograph that conveys an aesthetically pleasing image of a correctly executed balletic form. We shoot a few frames and assess the results. We then continue as is or modify the position of the dancer with respect to the lighting, try a different form, and adjust exposure compensation. While the result is not perfectly predictable, I see the final result in my mind, and planning is essential to achieve that end.

The images are a marriage of photographic technique and balletic skill. While I am versed in photography, over the years I’ve been educated with respect to positions and proper form for the ballet. While this image, to my mind, conveys movement and emotion, Vashti would note the improper position for Développé Devant.

What are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!

1) The double-rim lighting introduces the contrast between the exterior and the interior of the subject, especially in a movement scenario; the shadowed area mimics a gesture drawing. My theory of art considers contrast and ambiguity as key elements of interesting art, regardless of medium (from painting to literature)

2) The shadow at the base of the foot grounds the image.

3) The image communicates movement and emotion.

I have three

If you could make this photo again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?

1) Not enough contrast between the abdominal portion of the tutu and the background.
2) Position is not proper from a technical ballet perspective.

Have two from different perspectives.

Jerry Ranch shared this photograph with the FRAMES Facebook Group.

Photographer

Jerry Ranch, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA

INSTAGRAM

Equipment and settings

Nikon D850 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.2 at f11, ISO64,1/200sec (M exposure mode).
Two Buff Einsteins in IGBT mode, bare reflector, bounced off two white 4×8’ V-flats at 90° to the subject (V-flat shaped like shaped like a V) on white seamless paper. The V-flats were about 4 feet from the subject. The strobes were triggered wirelessly in TTL mode with a Pocketwizard FlexTT5/AC3 and MC2.

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