Tuesday’s Tales from the Shoot – The Dilemma with Dancers in Small Home Studios

I must admit that this is not a major crisis, no one is starving or being abused, I’m lucky my problems are relatively trivial. But it’s my blog, so I can bitch about what I want right?

I have a home studio, we have converted the garage into one. It’s not a particularly small garage, it holds two cars and a LOT of junk, the cars are out, but some of the junk is still in. We put up a mezzanine floor to hold most of the junk (suitcases, Christmas decorations, old kids toys and furniture – I am supposedly holding for the Grandkids if they ever get born), we have put shelves up across just about every wall and that leaves the main area free for shoots.

This has worked quite well, especially for toddlers, small groups, newborns and couples. Bring in some TALL dancers and ask them to dance around the studio, suddenly there is no room. Even a small dancer, like Megan and my backdrops are not high enough, nor wide enough (who knew 2m high and 4m wide was too small?), Oh the mayhem when they attempt a jump! Fortunately most of my set up is relatively inexpensive and quite hardy.

It also means sometimes I have to get creative with my edits, as you can see the areas outside of the studio floor in shots; fans, umbrellas, lights, tripods, brick walls, etc.

When they are working on the floor, it’s not so bad, it’s when they stand up and move around!

Sometimes I can incorporate it into a shot, but let’s face it, it’s not brilliant.

Other times, I completely remove the background in PhotoShop and add in an entirely new one.

Who knew dancers required SO MUCH ROOM! I think perhaps I should go to their studios? Or perhaps take them outside (already done that once)………I’m thinking a lovely Autumn shoot by the lake with lifts and jumps and other fancy stuff?

Don’t get me wrong, I still try, it just makes me get more creative, and sometimes a little frustrated my home studio is not bigger, perhaps one day when I win Lotto I can buy a custom made studio, or if the kids ever move out I can take over their end of the house! I suppose at the end of the day, I should be grateful I even have the studio I have got – grass is always greener and all that stuff. Still I can envy those wonderful large studios with tons of space and fancy gear, can’t I?

Til next time, happy snapping…

-Julz

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