Getting into volume dance can be exciting, profitable, rewarding AND challenging! That is why we reached out to the husband-and-wife team of Scott and Megan Sockel for tips and advice to those who are interested in this side of the volume business. They are the masters! Here are some of their thoughts and interesting viewpoints on why dance is different than other volume photography and what is needed to be successful in the volume dance business.
Dance photography is different:
- It’s not just a photo… it’s showcasing the dancer’s skills.
- Dance photo day is a performance opportunity. Photo day is an additional time for the dancers to practice costume changes along with performing, posing and smiling at the camera.
- You get to photograph the same child in multiple costumes. Most dancers are in 1-3 performances. Some have as many as 12-15 unique costumes. This is a blessing and a curse! Great for sales, but you must be organized on the front end.
- There are standard poses that are most often used to develop into complex poses. There is an endless variety of creative poses that fit with a performance or a style of a specific creative dance. Be sure to work with the dance owner to create poses to ensure the safety of the dancers. The owner knows the talent and skill level of the dancer.
- Photographers are very interactive. You must be able to interact well with the dancers and studio staff.
An ideal photographer is:
- Ready to accept feedback
- Quick to collaborate with poser or studio owner
- Likable by all ages
- A positive energy that lasts all day
An ideal sales/customer service staff is:
- Likable by all ages
- Great sales skills
- Patient
- Knowledgeable of the workflow and products offered
- Photo Days are not just once a year. Dance studios have several events throughout the year – Spring Recitals, Fall Competition Photo, Holiday Recitals, and the potential for dance mini-sessions. Take advantage of all these events for photo opportunities.
- Customer service and the customer experience will always outshine quality. But when your quality is also as good as your service, you will have a client for life.
- You will not be judged on your screw-up; you will be judged on how you dealt with your screw-up.
- If you are not a trained dancer, then you must partner with the studio owner to make the perfect shot. This ensures the safety of your dancer as well. Your job as the photographer is composition, lighting and angles. The studio owner’s job is the execution of talent.
- A confused parent is a non-buyer. Keep your packages easy to understand and also make it extremely easy to order. Always have the option of ordering online as well!
Hello! We are Scott and Megan Sockel from Omaha, Nebraska, the husband and wife team behind the lens and the business, MoveUp Images LLC. We provide a boutique style photography experience for sports clubs and dance studios. MoveUp Images, LLC is one of the three businesses we own and operate. All of our businesses are focused on different genres of photography. If running three businesses is not enough, our 2 kiddos; Violet (6) and Aiden (3), are constantly keeping us on our toes.
