Dance Photography for Performances, Events, and Creative Process
JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL
Caleb Teicher and Company with Conrad Tao (above) & Dance Theatre of Harlem (right).
My wife Nel Shelby, a dance filmmaker, helped me get my start in photographing dance.
All it took was one choreographer, open to having me at her dress rehearsal (thanks, Adele Myers!) and I never turned back.
I’ve photographed dance artists in cultural hubs from New York to Colorado and beyond. I served as the Festival Photographer at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the Berkshires for 20 years, and have been the Festival Photographer at the Vail Dance Festival since 2021.
Document Your Full Artistic Process
Live Performances
Event Photography for Galas & Benefits
Creative Process & Behind-The-Scenes
Featured on Conversations On Dance
“When I’m photographing a performance, I focus on bringing out the choreographer’s vision and the dancers’ expressions. I’m not there to win a photo contest, I’m there to capture the essence of the work.”
In this episode of the Conversations on Dance Podcast, Christopher Duggan and his wife Nel Shelby discuss their approach to dance photography and videography at the Vail Dance Festival.
What We Can Create Together
THE JOYCE THEATER
Misty Copeland performs Kyle Abraham’s “Ash” at The Joyce Theater (above) & Dorrance Dance performs “The Center Will Not Hold” at Jacob’s Pillow (right).
Live Performance Photography
I love hearing that my photos and my wife’s videos have helped dance companies get grants, land spots at festivals and promote upcoming performances. That’s why we do what we do – to provide artists with a complete photo & video package that helps support their artistry in any way possible.
Dance clients include Ballet Hispanico, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Guggenheim Works & Process, Pam Tanowitz Dance, Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, The Joffrey Ballet, and many more.
Creative Process & Dance Portraits
During my years as Festival Photographer for Jacob’s Pillow, I’ve had the opportunity to experiment and expand my skills in creative portraiture with dancers from companies around the globe. What started as a passion project in my “natural light studio” has become a signature service I can provide to dance artists at the Pillow, Vail Dance, in New York and beyond.
Ask about creative portraits by emailing [email protected].
MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP NYC
Mark Morris Dance Company in rehearsal.
VAIL DANCE FESTIVAL
Creative portraits with Adji Cissoko and Youba Cissokho.
Ziegfeld Ballroom NYC
Cynthia Erivo performs live at Alvin Ailey’s 65th Anniversary Gala, returning as Honorary Chair to honor Judith Jamison.
Dance Event Photography
Event clients include Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance USA, Dance/NYC, International Society for Performing Arts, Jacob’s Pillow Dance and more.
Dance School Photography
Photographing dance schools can mean a number of things – capturing annual recitals or Nutcracker performances, creating promotional photos in rehearsal or class, making portraits of students and more.
Dance schools I’ve photographed include Ballet Academy East, Ballet Hispanico School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem School, Ellison Ballet, Greenwich Ballet Academy, Manhattan Youth Ballet and more.
Contact me to learn more about what I can provide for your school >
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Ballet Academy East (above) in a pre-performance warm-up class and onstage.
Dance Films with Nel Shelby Productions
My wife Nel and I both believe deeply in the preservation and promotion of dance, and we often team up to provide artists with a complete package for their upcoming productions. Her dance film company, Nel Shelby Productions, makes standout video for dance artists every day. It’s amazing to see what she and her team creates, and I’m humbled to be a part of her business.
NEW YORK CITY CENTER
BalletX dancing MatthewNeenan’s
“Mapping Out A Sky”.
How I Work
UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S IMPORTANT
I take time to understand the work and how the photography will be used. When needed, I attend rehearsals to capture the piece with context and care.
UNOBTRUSIVE APPROACH
My approach is rooted in photojournalistic documentation. I work quietly and respectfully, staying out of the way of the creative process, the performers, and the audience. The art always comes first.
CAPTURING THE ENERGY
With a deep understanding of movement and timing, I focus on capturing split-second moments at their peak. Years of experience photographing dance allow me to anticipate motion and preserve the immediacy, power, and emotion of each performance.
Inquire about dance photography by emailing [email protected]
Browse Dance Galleries
Photographing Malpaso Dance Company in Cuba: A Dream Project
A true dream project. The kind of opportunity that feels like you’ve been quietly working toward it your whole career.
A New Chapter at Jacob’s Pillow + Looking Ahead to Vail Dance Festival
After 19 summers as Festival Photographer at Jacob’s Pillow, this year marks a meaningful transition. For the first time, I won’t be spending the entire summer on the Pillow grounds.
NYC Gala Photographer: Recent Fundraiser & Nonprofit Event Photography
What I enjoy most about gala photography is that every event tells a larger story, bringing together communities of people working toward a shared purpose.