There are two kinds of stage on board the Navigator of the Seas, the main theatre and Studio B, an Ice Rink which can be covered up and the space was also used as a dance floor/gaming area etc. I was instantly in awe of the performance spaces on board and my first choice for an alternative job on ship would be the technical crew. Production manager is our equivalent stage manager but I'd need experience. Anywho, I also hoped that I'd get to photograph some of these shows whilst on board. With the main stage, unless I captured a full technical rehearsal (but they didn't seemed to do those and standard rehearsals don't have the pleasure of great lighting), I would be in the way of the audience so no go. But the way Studio B is laid out I can position myself nicely-ish without being in the way, I just can't move around!
So during the crossing, when we all got a day off, my day off coincided with the last performance for the current ice cast, giving me many reasons to go along and take pictures!
Photographing ice dancing was a steep learning curve I can tell you! They move really silly fast so my usual show settings went out the window! I quickly went onto shutter speed priority at 1/500. But then you don't get a sense of the movement. And what makes a good ice dance photo? Normally with shows it's expression, but what about showing the skills? Anyway here's some of what I got.
Overexposed I know...
See how weird does this look but it's a good thing that they're off the ground!
This is good I think!
Asa will kill me for this however demonstrates the importance of expression.
Beautiful, shows skills and lighting, this is my favourite of the whole session and in black and white it just works better! Probably because they're still in those silly hockey clothes!
Nice sequence performed to Roxanne from Moulin Rouge, we always seemed to be carrying camera equipment through Studio B at this point and then this song would get stuck in my head all day!
I'm conflicted, it's a great picture because look at what I caught him doing. But is it great to look at? Not sure.
This would be a great picture if it was a stage show, but it's dancing and guess she was on her way to straightening her arms so I should've caught it then right!?
Great face!
Can't even see their faces but still a good shot right?
There was definitely some intended theatrics for me to capture!
These last few show them all in sync so it's important and I think they still look good.
So I discovered that Ice Dancing is really hard to photograph and I can't decide whether to set my equipment up so I catch great expressions or perfect ice dance moments, both is hard! If I did it again I'd love to take two cameras and do one intentionally to try and blur some of the spins and jumps because this show is really fast paced and my current style of photography completely loses that.
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