The dance goes on

Welcome.

Saturday night saw the annual 'Latin America' festival held in Frankston.

It is a colourful celebration showcasing music, dance, food and culture.  Last year I spent from midday until midnight there enjoying all the sights and sounds and photographing everything in sight.

This year I didn't realise it was on until I drove past the closed street where it is held.  So I spent a lot less time at it this year.  Still, I managed to get a few shots of the activities.

I guess that just shows that even if time is limited it is still possible to make images. 

All you have to do is make sure that you have a camera with you, that you are prepared to use it and most importantly, that you are open to the possibility that there are potential images everywhere if you are willing to see them.

Besides, what can be so bad about rocking up somewhere and photographing something?  I reckon it's a pretty good way of passing your time.  You might even get to meet a few interesting people.

Earlier in the week I went to the Cathy Lea School of performing arts.


 Made a few images for the project that I mentioned a few weeks back.  Didn't spend much time there - just an hour or so.  Helps the folks get used to a big stranger with a camera in hand.  
Now that I've been seen around the studios it will be easier to get shots of the students and instructors in a relaxed state.  The more they ignore me the better the images.

Street photography and photojournalism are a lot like that.  If you become almost invisible as a photographer then the chances of getting the shot increases.  That's what I reckon anyway. Ironically when you do blend in like that you still get a lot of people approaching and either posing or asking to be photographed.

Maybe it's because you appear less threatening when you blend in. Maybe they are just more comfortable.  Who knows?

I'm just glad that they do.

Stay safe.

Follow the dance!

Welcome.

In the sixth chapter of 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, a conversation takes place between Sir William Lucas and Mr. Darcy.

Sir William - "What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy!- There is nothing like dancing after all.-I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies."

Mr. Darcy - "Certainly, Sir;-and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world.-Every savage can dance."

That passage always amused me, as with one simple statement of fact a rather pretentious bubble was burst.

In fact every society has its form of dance - indeed most societies have a multitude of dance forms.

Some folk even refer to the 'dance of life' just to describe normal daily activities.

That's cool - whatever floats their boat.

I guess life is a bit of a dance.  It has its movements, its pace changes, its rhythms and beats.

That's one of the reasons I love street photography and photojournalistic styles of photography.  Trying to capture the rhythm of life in a single instance. Attempting to convey a story in a single image or in just a few images.

This year it is one of my aims to produce a body of work around the theme of 'dance'.  The main way in which that will happen is in collaboration with the Cathy-Lea Academy of Performing Arts. 

For some time I've had a vague idea about working with such an academy and recently had talks with Cathy Lea.  There is a slight difference between this project and others that I have worked on in the past.

The main difference is that there is actually no defined outcome, no defined timeline and no formal project management in place!  Yep - I can hear you now shouting "Recipe for disaster!"

Maybe - maybe not.

Actually it is an intriguing concept for both parties.  It won't cost anything except some time and some petrol money - big deal.  As we see it, the project will actually take on a life of its own in a somewhat 'organic' way.

Basically it will be a visual diary, or a 'year in the life' type of project.  I'll visit the studios to observe classes, watch rehearsals, attend performances and record the minutiae of the workings of the academy. Paraphernalia, equipment, candid portraits, gestures, light, form and movement are what I want to capture.

Eventually we will no doubt get our heads together to try to decide what we will do with the images.  In the meantime hopefully a reasonable body of work will be compiled.

Should be interesting and I am certainly excited by the prospects.

Every now and then I'll post an image or two on this site. These images were made in the backstage area while the dancers were waiting for their stage time at an outdoor performance. I hope you will enjoy the work as it is revealed. As always, please feel free to leave your comments.

Please note that the images on the Cathy Lea Academy site are not my images. All credit and copyright for images currently on that site belong to other photographers.

Whatever your dance is - keep dancing!

Stay safe.