Wishing you a fabulous holiday season and a productive, amazing 2014!

Many thanks to all my clients, partners, friends and followers who made 2013 special.  May we do great things together in the New Year.

Recently I sent out a note to my email subscribers about one of the most common questions I get from dancers I photograph.  In the pre-photo shoot consultation my dancer clients want to know if they should prepare a list of poses.  Basically, dancers want to know what to do during a photo shoot.

Over all, this is an individual process and complicated topic because every dancer is different.  Even seemingly ‘perfect’ bodies shoot differently.

Rebecca Reeves, Ellison Ballet, New York

For dancers about to book audition photoshoots who want to know what to do and what poses work for audition photos, here is a quick list of tips.

For the photos and the experience that you need, look at working with a photographer who is going to take the time to get great lighting, connect with you, and find the poses/angles/shapes that show you at your best.  The devil is in the details.  And detail, detail, detail.  You are should finish a shoot feeling exhausted, exalted, excited to see the results of the retouched files, and fully confident to move forward with the next phase of the audition process.

Tips on Poses for Dance Photos

• Remember the PURPOSE of the shoot: what companies/schools are you auditioning for? Choose your poses to your audience.  Speak to them directly.
• BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF. Know that every pose will need to be tailored to your particular body in a shoot… making something you normally look at in 3D in the mirror look good in 2D, as well as having every part of your body and face engaged takes some time.
• The number of shots IS NOT what you are going for in an audition shoot. As close to perfection as you can get takes time, even for the most seasoned professionals. Aim for 2 or 3 great shots in about an hour of shooting.  If you’re doing more than that, you are probably not “KILLING IT.”

Emily Abrom, French Academie of Ballet, New York

When Working for a Killer Pose: Ask these Questions

• Do the lines work for all parts of my body, legs, shoulders, feet, neck, fingers torso?
• Do I look at ease in the execution of the movement? Is there tension in my fingers/neck/face that gives away effort?
• Could a change in arms help the pose?  Take a 1st arabesque for example. Simply changing the arms to a high 1st, 5th or open 5th or even a 4th arabesque can change the shape on your torso drastically. Hint: Very few dancers can shoot a 3rd arabesque well; it’s an incredibly unforgiving shoulder line from a flat side view
• When you think you’ve given it 100% of your energy, do it again with 300% – often that is the difference between a good and a great shot! I often find myself in a shoot saying ‘Great, now more more more energy, you can do it!’

In my next post I talk in more detail about specific poses and how they work for you in photos.  Subscribe to the blog in the sidebar and the post will come straight to your inbox!

Taylor Massa, a trainee with Washington Ballet in Washington, DC.

Ready for your Killer Audition Photos?

Book a photo shoot now and we’ll set up a consultation and get started right away.

I’m so glad to see Michelle’s website, Pure NRG Fitness, is live and looking great.  Have a peek!

Michelle Portalatin is a trainer and triathlete.  She and I started working together after she completed her second Ironman in Lake Placid last year- talk about an inspiration!

Fortunately, through getting to know each other and having some laughs along the way we were able to put Michelle at easy and have her looking wonderfully beautiful, with strength and line at the same time.

So often, clients come to me with the idea stuck in their heads that they are not comfortable being photographed, posing for marketing images or participating in a photo shoot.  It’s foreign to them and can be hard for them to feel comfortable with their bodies when they know they are going to be photographed.  This is a concern that I help to dispel quickly, by getting clients comfortable, getting them moving, getting them to be themselves and show their stuff.

This process ends up being fun, eye opening and leads to great shots.  So if you are nervous at first about working with a photographer for marketing images, don’t let that fear hold you back.  Reach out, ask questions and talk until you are comfortable.  The best photographers bring out the best in you and it’s a great experience for all of us.

How to Know if you and your Photographer are a Good Fit

1) Does your photog ask more questions than you during your consultation?  Are they really listening to your wants and needs?

2) Does your fitness and movement photographer put you at ease?  The comfort factor is really important for getting good shots.

3) Do you feel like their style, portfolio or what they are talking about creating for you fits with who you are as a person and trainer?  Would it attract your ideal clients?

4) Are they interested in or have knowledge of your area of expertise?  It’s super helpful to know how to adjust or line up your body so you look your best in a shoot and your fitness photographer needs to understand this.

Ask More Questions

Email me with any questions you have about how to get more comfortable in a photo shoot, how to make the experience work for you and your marketing needs, or how to start thinking about using images to connect you to your ideal client.

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Tagged: business, fitness, marketing, photo shoot

As promised in my earlier post, I am talking today about poses to use for dance audition photos and how the poses work- or don’t work- for your body, your style and the companies you want to hire you.

Poses that Work for Audition Photo Shoots

Arabesques and Attitudes
(1st, 4th, 5th & open 5th)
Arabesques and attitudes almost always shoot better directly to the side.  But if you have killer technique, try a very slight diagonal line, up or downstage

À La Second
This really works well only if you really have a 180 and strong core to hold it.  Try several different arm positions to help facilitate a leg close to the ear.

Passé Devant or Derrière
Here is an excellent place to show impeccable line and give you an opportunity to work with your expression or intention.

Jumps
Jetés, sissones and other jumps are great to show power and passion.

Make sure you are not showing strain in your neck, fingers and face. This is important to remember, and something I talk about with my clients all the time: some movements need to be modified in their execution for a photoshoot.  The movement’s highlight to be shot is often not at a great angle for the camera, or is actually 2 movements together that don’t actually have a high note.  a cabriole is a good example of this.  The beated leg often beats and releases before the torso arrives at its peak moment, making for a beautiful movement but not one whose high note is captured well on camera.  It is important to execute the right movement and work with a dance photographer who is able to capture the height of the moment.

Terre a Terre 
Make sure you start with a fully turned out supporting leg, and re-adjust your hipline to work with the angle of the camera. Arms often need to be re worked from 3D to 2D.

Contemporary Work

If you start the shoot with some of these poses in mind, take the time to work them to suit your body.  Try changing angles or arms to look good on your own physique.

Often, a great way to come up with something really cool is to work an improv session with your photographer and see what happens.  I often have dancers just flow and move, picking lines that I think might be interesting. When I see something unique or beautiful we pause to work on that shot and get it just right.

Find the Perfect Pose

Schedule a consultation to talk more about the best poses and the most powerful audition photos that set you apart.

A few days ago on the way home from a shoot I was standing on a subway platform and playing a game of solitaire.  Yes, a little dorky, but to make myself feel better about it, I play the advanced version (and win!)  Over and over.  Like 1,219 times.

Anyway, on this particular day I noticed a guy out of the corner of my eye coming to stand closer to me.  He had on an old raggedy coat with a hoody underneath that he had over his head and held his hands in his pockets with his head down a little.  Instinctively, I moved slightly away from him, and since the platform was a little crowded I found myself gravitating toward a group of people who were more ‘fresh pressed.’

Was it the clothing?  Was it the body language?

I looked up to see his face, and truth be told, he didn’t look like a guy you would worry about.  He was not terribly angry or sad, not rough, really, except for the clothes.  But at that first glance – in that first moment in my peripheral vision - there was something that caused me to move away.

I started to think about this one a little more.  Then I started to apply it to myself.  At the moment, I’m hyper aware of my body shape and more to the point, my lack of wardrobe items that fit properly since I’m still losing baby weight from number 2.  I’m fairly thrifty when it comes to making clothing purchases that will only fit me for a few weeks (well, in reality it’s months but let’s let my ego ride with weeks here), so I’ve been making do for the last year.

Reality check: what am I saying about who I am to the world and my clients through how I dress?  I like to say that I’m an ‘It’ girl, that I’m well put together, that I can and do have it all, that I’m ‘cool’, but without a ton of work and thought going into my appearance.  A little on the natural side, a little on the artistic side, a lot on the professional side.

But what does my appearance really say?

At the moment, it probably says:  I don’t have time for myself, how I look is not supper important to me, dressing a post 2 baby body is a challenge for me.  And occasionally, the best one: one of the kids threw up and I hope no one notices because I can’t change a 3rd time before I go to a shoot – me.

But what I’ve not been thinking about is how my clients see me: do I instill confidence in them by how I present myself? Do I look like I know exactly what I’m talking about when I sit down with them to go over styling choices and select what will give their images the right impact?

Perhaps it’s not as bad as I think it is, but then when was the last time I took time to look in a full length mirror at myself?  Time to go shopping!

What are you saying to your clients through your physical presentation?  What do they learn about you through your images? Is it time for an update?

Drop me a line if you’d like a complimentary consultation to look at what images you are currently using.  l’m happy to help in anyway I can!

So much going on for everyone right now… rehearsing, auditions, classes, auditions and more auditions…

Too often we caught up in the ‘DOING’ of it all.. working technique, sewing endless shoes, learning new choreography, sending out email inquiries… Are you remembering who you are ‘BEING’?

Who are you, as a dancer and as a person, for the companies and audiences you want to work with?

Of course, directors are looking at your technique, line, turns and jumps etc.  But when I talked to a few dance company directors recently a common thread of conversation was about personality. They are looking for dancers who are great to work with and have a certain quality and personality that will fit into different roles and shine on stage.

Do you know who you are as a dancer and what you bring to the table other than your physicality?

Are you a fiery dancer or a softer, dramatic dancer? Super versatile or a bright light on stage?

How would you describe yourself?

Now ask yourself, honestly, are you bringing that ‘person’ to each audition? Are you ready to turn on your ‘It’ game, regardless of what kind of day you’ve had?

Be Who You Are – And Bring It with You

20 years ago I was right there. I was doing auditions while living/training in Koln, Germany. We (a few friends and me), blindly went from city to city taking classes and doing what open auditions we found in listings (this was before the internet explosion, emails, smart phones and apps, if you can imagine a world without?!).

We did have a great time traveling but it was without much success in gaining contracts. Back then, the best way to be seen (and how most of us achieved success) was to park yourself in a city and try to take as many company classes as you could, or get an ‘extra’ contract with a company to fill out a particular production. That way the director and Bmaster/mistress had some time to see not just technique but who you really were and if you were a fit for their company and productions. And that’s exactly how we all ended up working!

But it’s often different today…

If you are not bringing your ‘Being’ (personality, intentions and your own personal X factor), into all your interactions with companies right from the beginning, you could be missing out on the jobs you want!

Let’s Find Your X Factor

I’ve set aside 5 complimentary phone consultations time slots in the next 3 weeks.  If you’d like to have a chat about your audition process shoot me an email now before the slots fill up!

What Clients are Saying…

I am not sure if I told you, but I ended up dancing for Ballet San Jose, with Jose Manuel Carreno as the artistic director this season. Your photos were a huge part of the whole process. So thank you again!
- Emma Powers

The audition went GREAT by the way! Thanks so much for helping me prepare for it! – Cara Certosimo

Summer Session Audition Shoots

We are now booking audition shoots for those out of town dancers coming to NYC for summer intensives.  If you will be auditioning in the 14/15 season and want to get a head start on the process, drop me a line. There’s nothing I love more than to see dancers set up powerfully for their auditions with the tools and images they need to get those contracts.

Dancer Photos: Photo 1: Emily Abrom; Photo 2: Taylor Massa, Ka’imi Ka’imi Cambern, Rebecca Reeves, Jenna McKoy; Photo 3: Emma Benja

Last week Pilates instructor Rosalind Moore was with us in the studio. We had such a blast working through our shot list for her new marketing material.  We spent quite a bit of time planning the shoot, from look to wardrobe to lighting style and back, and poor Rosalind fighting a little bit of food poisoning episode while shopping!

One of the first things we decided on was to hire a makeup artist for her shoot.  I often leave this decision up to my clients, but I highly recommend it when we are shooting head shots or shots that are closer up to the face. Top 3 reasons Fitness People Hesitate to Hire a Makeup Artist:

1.  They want a natural look and don’t trust a Makeup Artist.
2. They want a natural look and don’t trust a Makeup Artist.
3. They want a natural look at don’t trust a Makeup Artist.

Yes, I hear it a lot!!  Other reasons include confidence in doing their own makeup or the added cost to the shoot.

From my perspective as a fitness photographer, a Makeup Artist is a good investment for a few reasons:

1.  A good MUA is able to lay the base and foundation for a great face… they even out your skin and allow the light to work with rather than against it (this is so important for good photos!).  From there, they are able to help hide any flaws and to accentuate your best features in ways that are really natural.  Think of your face like a canvas.  You need a clean canvas to start with before you add the color.
2.   Retouching is always more natural when there is good makeup.
3.   A good MUA often helps my fitness clients feel, beautiful, confident and powerful, just want we want you to feel when you have haven pictures done!  And just what we want your pilates, yoga and fitness clients to see when they look at you.

But don’t take my word for it, here’s what Rosalind and her Makeup Artist Alyssa Lorraine had to say.

Rachel and I discussed the option of using a hair and makeup artist for my fitness shoot.  I wasn’t sure if it would be necessary, as I usually wear very little makeup and wanted a very natural look for my photographs. I did decide to hire someone in the end, mostly because my hair is very fine and difficult to style so I thought some assistance there would be helpful.  I am so glad I decided to hire Alyssa! I had no idea how much of a difference professional hair and makeup would make in my photos.  Not only did it require more and different makeup than I thought to achieve a polished but “natural” look on camera, but it was also very helpful to have an artist around to adjust my hair and makeup as we changed looks throughout the day. I can’t recommend having a professional makeup artist on set highly enough.  It gave me much more confidence and ease throughout the shoot, and got me infinitely better photographs.

-       Rosalind Moore, Pilates Instructor New York City

Her Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist, Alyssa Lorraine, has this reminder about makeup for fitness professionals planning their photo shoots:

A photo shoot is an investment in yourself and your brand or business and it should be taken seriously.

The weeks following up to a fitness shoot, you will surely take the time to eat well and exercise to be in top condition. You will spend time researching photographers and going through the planning process of exactly what you want for your shoot (poses, wardrobes, props).

So for the time and cost involved in planning and producing your shoot you should value your investment by hiring a professional makeup artist that can make you look amazing and allow you to focus on other aspects of the shoot and not have to worry about how you look.

- Alyssa Lorraine, Makeup Artist + Hair Stylist New York City

Read more from Alyssa in her guest post “Why You Need a Makeup Artist for Your Next Photoshoot” this Friday.  Don’t miss Alyssa’s guest post- subscribe to the blog in the sidebar now!

Guest Post by Alyssa Lorraine

Just because you’re going for a ‘natural’ look at your photo shoot doesn’t mean that you should forgo hiring a makeup artist. A skilled makeup artist can achieve the natural look that you desire so that you look presentable and perfected but still look like yourself. A makeup artist is there to assist you during your shoot so you can be relaxed and focus on other aspects of the shoot.

Why No Makeup is a No-No

You may think you can achieve the ‘natural’ look for your photo shoot without wearing makeup. But what you’ll find is that your skin can actually look sickly and unhealthy under the studio lights which can intensify any imperfections in the skin. This happens because the skin on the face and body is actually quite transparent. When light is shined on the skin (either natural light or studio lights) it makes our skin’s imperfections and irregularities show through even more. This means that the dark purpley/green undereye circles will be even more pronounced. Redness or blotchiness on the face and body will also stand out more, as will veins and other discolorations. Makeup can be used to even out the skintone so that your face and body match and so that your skin has an overall uniform look without any glaring irregularities that jump out. And makeup is used with a light hand on the face to softly define and enhance features that could otherwise look washed out on camera.

Makeup for your Body, not just your face!
Makeup goes beyond just the face, and isn’t something just women should be concerned about. A makeup artist’s job is to insure that your skin looks good from head to toe. Sheer body foundation, shimmery illuminators, oils, sheen sprays, lotions and potions can be used on the body to enhance your physique and bring out your muscles even more while creating the illusion that your body is tight and toned (even if it’s not!). And If you have tattoos or scars that you need covered, a makeup artist can seamlessly hide them for you as well.

You don’t have to worry about your appearance…
Above all a photo shoot is an investment in yourself and your brand or business and It should be taken seriously. The weeks following up to a fitness shoot, you will surely take the time to eat well and exercise to be in top condition. You will spend time researching photographers and going through the planning process of exactly what you want for your shoot (poses, wardrobes, props). So for the time and cost involved in planning and producing your shoot you should value your investment by hiring a professional makeup artist that can make you look amazing and allow you to focus on other aspects of the shoot and not have to worry about how you look.

…when you hire a professional Makeup Artist for your photo shoot
Alyssa Lorraine
Makeup Artist + Hairstylist NYC
www.alyssalorraine.com

Make your Images Sing at Every Photo Shoot

I love when I get to see all different types of clients on one day!  The mini photo shoot sessions were a huge success for clients who got great promotional, audition, portfolio images and headshots done  for dance and fitness.

The event was such a success that I received a number of requests asking that I add another mini shoot special day.  So we did, on Sunday April 27th.  Now is your chance to get in on the fun- but book fast because slots are filling up!

I look forward to sharing more of the details with you, but for now here are some of my favs from the day.

Rachel Neville Photography

I have kept a few slots open for my blog readers so if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, fill out the contact form today and secure your spot!

West Coast Dance Audition Photo Shoot

dance audition photos Rachel Neville San Francisco photo special

Man, is spring finally here??? For months I’ve been itching to walk down the street without hunching my shoulders against the cold wind, smell some fresh air (or what we think of as fresh here in NYC) and spend some time outside. Can we, with confidence, put away the winter coats and scarves?

With the warmer weather, we photographers start popping up like gophers everywhere to shoot outside. I am of course no exception, and started to book photo shoots on location last month. For those of you not here in NYC (or not able to make a trip to shoot with me), here are my tips to picking a good photo shoot location and making the most of your outdoor location shoot.

1) Know what you want to achieve from your shoot and work accordingly.

If you want to become part of the background and less of the focus of the shot, then a grand vista or a cool location where you can become part of the landscape is where you want to be.

If you would like to be more the focus of the shot, you need a location that is a little less busy where you can stand out more easily. This is also achieved through auxiliary lighting, which your photographer should be familiar working with (note: you do not want to use on camera flash, that is some of the worst lighting in general).

2) Choose a location with access to a hidden spot or bathroom so you can change in for different looks

3) Shoot in what I call a ‘loaded’ location, where you have many different backgrounds available within a 5 minute walk.

4) Choose a spot that is generally less crowded or a time of day that is less crowded.

You will spend less time waiting for people to walk through your shoot and more time shooting.

5) Know if you need a permit to shoot in a location

This one is super important!  In New York City dance photographers check with the Parks Department or the Mayors Office of Film and Theatre.  If you’re not in NYC, Google ‘shooting permits’ for your area and something should pop up.

Sometimes there is a fee, other times not. The permit is essential, especially if you are shooting with larger groups or in landmark locations like Prospect Park, Central Park or Grand Central Station, all of whom fine you for staging photo shoots without permits.

Coming up.. understanding if an outdoor photo shoot is right for you.  Next week, I weigh the pros and cons.

I am so excited that my brand new photography studio is opening its doors next month!  And I want to celebrate with you.

Help me celebrate the opening of my new photo studio by joining my contest on Instagram.

It’s easy and fun to play and I hope it will help to inspire you and all your friends on Instagram to work hard for what they love.

3 winners will receive a 2 hour creative shoot with me this summer!

How to Win…

Follow me on Instagram @rachelnevillephoto

Take a photo of something that inspires you to work hard every day

Tag your photo with @rachelnevillephoto  and #newstudioshoot by June 1st.

Good Luck!

I’m back in NYC after a fabulous trip to San Francisco where I got to work with some amazing dancers. I had a great time playing with every one of you and I hope that you’re loving your shots as much as I am.

Can’t wait for my next trip!

Christina Schifano

Mwei Shin Tsao

 Laurel Benson

 Grace Gibson

 Blair Mendez

 Anne-Sophie Rodriguez

 Laurel Benson

 Sasha Bishop

 Wes Bishop

Valentina Reneff-Olsen

Jamie Hamaker

Book your shoot, now!

Ok guys, summer is here… no more procrastination!  Let’s get on to producing the marketing that is going to drive your business and get you clients.  We have about 6 months before the New Year’s rush.  That makes this summer the perfect time to start getting set up with a marketing plan that is going to play out and pay out in the long run.

Fitness Marketing Guide: Sneak Peek

Can’t wait for some creative time!

I’m excited to get started working in my new studio.  I’ve never been through a renovation before, and this was a major one!  I’m custom building the space for dance, fitness and aerial shoots. We combined 2 smaller office spaces, knocked down walls, blew the ceilings out (now 13 feet high), put in a 20 foot cyc with a sprung floor and bolted an attachment to the ceiling joist  for aerial shots. Yes, a photo studio with a sprung floor and aerial capabilities!

Just as exciting to me is getting the chance to work with the 3 winners from my Instagram contest.  I asked the entrants to tag me in a post of a picture that inspired them to work hard everyday, and from those we randomly drew 3 names out of a hat (my daughter Oriane wanted to do it, it was in fact a beat up cowgirl hat).

The winners are…

Katia Raj (Studio Company Member, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet),  Jessica Kinnaman (Akhmedova Ballet Academy),  Felipe Galganni (Tap Dancer, Teacher: Steps, Broadway Dance Center).

We are cooking up some really great imagery to suit their styles and personalities.  I can’t wait to share with you all!

One of the great things about being a New York City dance photographer is having the chance to work with an assortment of dancers, from a variety of dance companies all over NYC.

In addition to the fun and creativity we get to have in the photography studio with dancers for audition shots and dance photo portfolios, as an NYC dance photographer I get to go all over the city for location shoots and dance performances.

The past few months have been great, full of live dance performances, location shoots and studio work with my dancer clients and dance company clients in New York City.

In my Instagram contest celebrating the opening of my new NYC photography studio in Long Island City, I asked dancers to tell me what inspires them to work hard.  I hope that these images inspire you to work hard, to get out and enjoy your city, and to get creative with your dance images.

Feeling inspired?

Book a summer photo shoot while there’s still time!

Where are you headed next in your career?

I always tell dancers that the consultation is so important in preparation for dance photoshoots and dance audition photoshoots.  Was there anything in particular during the consultation process that stood out to you as being helpful or that you’d like to share?

What is the biggest challenge for you when you prepare for a photo shoot?

What is the biggest challenge for you during the photo shoot?

What did you enjoy most during your Rachel Neville Photography dance photoshoot?

How would you describe the experience shooting with me?

How do you feel about your audition process now that you have had this audition photo shoot experience?

What would you tell others who are just about to have their audition photo shoots?  Any tips, tricks things to remember or note?

I’m excited to share some news with you!

The last 3 months, in the luxurious heat of this New York City summer, my team and I have been busy building a gorgeous new studio for us all to shoot in, custom designed for dancers, dance companies, yoga, aerial and fitness professionals alike. And… it’s… finally ready!!

My new photography studio is just 10 minutes from NYC’s Grand Central Station and I can’t wait for everyone to experience what we’ve been putting together for you.

The last several years of shooting in different spaces were an excellent experience.  Working as a NYC photographer in multiple studio locations, I knew exactly what I wanted (and didn’t want) when it came to building my own studio space. With the help of the wonderful team at PSI Contractors (can’t say enough good things about them by the way), we tore down walls and ceilings, re-designed and configured, constructed an 8 foot long makeup area to accommodate several people at once, put a sprung floor into the cyc, added a secured attachment into the joists for aerial work, and the list goes on!

I can’t wait for you to come shoot and experience working in a space that is custom designed for you! The quality of the available light is just amazing for headshots and other creative work, the 18′ wide cyc affords the ability to configure lights and backgrounds with ease and mobility.  The studio’s sprung floor easy on the joints and the bathrooms and changing area right in the studio (we have two, actually).. All I can say is.. Yes!  And I know you will, too.

And with the extra storage space in the new photography studio, I now have room to build up my prop and costume closet. When you book your appointment be sure to ask about the extras that we have access to.  I am also happy to accept costumes and props that you are ready to donate!

Here’s a little sampling if what we’ve done in the studio so far.  Contact us today to set up your shoot and discover what kind of experience our new studio space will help create for you.

Gianna Caridi, aerial photo Rachel Neville

Adrian Blake Mitchell and Sarah Tryon in studio photo, Rachel Neville

Yuritzi Govea, in studio headshot Rachel Neville

Jessica Kinnaman

Come check it out for yourself!  Can’t wait to see you in the studio.

We have been doing some great work in the studio.  I love having a space for my dancers, yoga clients and fitness experts to come and relax, feel comfortable and get creative.

Yuritza Govea, Photo by Rachel Neville

Take a look at some of what we have been doing together in Long Island City, NYC.

Asami Seki, Photo by Rachel Neville

And contact me to schedule your first shoot in the new studio!

Brianna Moriarty, Photo by Rachel Neville