photographing contact
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Archive Article, Volume 4, Edition 2
Author: Katrien van Hyuck
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Yesterday I went out to take photographs of bodies in motion, of bodies moving through space. The conditions were not ideal, the Melbourne Contact Jam takes place in an indoor studio with poor lighting and the complete absence of natural light - it was night time. I hired an SLR camera from my university which I was very excited about but with my beginner’s knowledge of manual settings, I knew it would be a little bit of an experiment. Also, the camera lens was not very big so the ability to zoom in from a distance to capture details was limited. The dancers on the other hand were great. They were not just comfortable with my presence, and the sound of a clicking device, they also allowed me to get very close physically to their dancing bodies to capture intimate moments. Amongst the dancers were an amateur and a professional photographer who gave me some useful tips. How lucky was I to be part of such a generous Contact community.
It was very interesting to photograph moving bodies: there were so many opportunities and so much beauty and richness in detail, but at the same time it was a real challenge to shoot exactly what I wanted. Sometimes I saw - and chased - the perfect bend or touch but then the image turned out to be rather unappealing; while at other times I just shot away, one photo after the other, and ended up with a couple of really nice images. During the process I noticed I was more drawn to capture shapes, colours, facial expressions, body parts, details and frozen movements, than to shoot movements with a slow shutter speed to create motion blur.
I really enjoyed witnessing and photographing those dancing bodies, it felt very much like photographing an event. Somehow what is happening is partly staged: the Jam is organised and the participants dance based on a set of principles. But the great thing about Contact Improvisation as a dance form is that it is improvised, so anything can happen. And the most beautiful things do. The subject matter is ever changing and creates infinite possibilities; bodies are never doing the same movement twice. This is the dance of research and discovery.
My intention was to capture those exquisite moments, those split seconds that vaporise before you know it, those moments of which the dancers might not even be aware of. The potential for great shots in Contact Improvisation is for a photographer the most valuable gift but at the same time a source of frustration, because it is so full of surprises.
Luckily, I am not unfamiliar with the dance; I have an understanding of the basics. My experience as a dancer came in handy while I was holding the camera as it helped me to direct my attention and to anticipate some movements. Still, as a photographer I am only a baby ... but one whom is dearly enjoying to learn how to walk ... later on I hope to dance ... with the camera.