This is part two of my “Proud parents wanting something just a little different from their sports pictures” series. The dance pictures were interesting to take, because she started out a little shy, and I didn’t know what type of dance moves she was capable to doing. I didn’t want to ask for something that she was unable to do, and then have her get discouraged.

The lighting was the same as in yesterdays post. I had a SB900 in an umbrella high on the left, almost directly at her side. I had another SB900 on a gorilla pod stand with an umbrella draped over it. I would have placed it higher, but didn’t have another stand with me.

We started off with some of the more basic, and static moves, and joked around a bit, until she loosened up, which truth be told, was not a very long time. We were then able to get some other “action” type moves where I would capture her in mid air. This picture may not have captured her legs quite as high as some that we took, but it looks the most effortless.

We moved on to the swimming pool late into the light. It was between disappearing fast, and almost gone. We were going to need lights to get anything to work here. The swimming shots were all with one light. When the light was near by, it was not zoomed in, but when taking the shots of her father away, I zoomed the flash to 200mm I think. It was a SB900 hand held by her mother. Sometimes we also aimed it through an umbrella, but not always. The lights were held at pool level. No lights fell into the pool.

I had her going back and forth several times as we fine tuned the lights, and then tried to get the timing down. It took awhile, but got it in the end. I think the pictures we got of the butterfly and the breast stroke were the ones that worked the best. They are the most dramatic looking at least.

These were a lot of fun, and I hope to get to do this again with some other kids soon.