Taiwan Dancer and Temple

Posted by on Jan 19, 2012 in blog | 2 Comments

Here is one of the dancers from Jiazi Dance Troupe whom I had the pleasure of photographing for my Taiwan Review photo essay. I set up in front of the Beiji Temple in Guiren and waited while she got made up and dressed. I was going nuts while the golden late-afternoon sun dropped behind the buildings at my back. I missed that warm light but when I saw her dressed in her classical Chinese fairy dance costume (中國古典舞的服裝(仙女)) I forgot all about the light and decided I could make do with what I had. Jiazi Dance Troupe Dancer in front of Beiji Temple, Guiren District, Tainan City, TaiwanNot only did she look beautiful, she effortlessly nailed her pose every time. If I was sure of my timing, focus and lighting, I would have wrapped it in one shot. Instead, I was too worried that I was missing focus or the peak of her jump, that I had her leap 12 times! Back on the computer I noticed that her expression was relaxed and she held perfect poise in every frame!Jiazi Fairy dancer leaps over young dancer in front of Guiren's Beiji Temple, Tainan City, TaiwanI only had these two dancers together for a couple of shots before the younger dancer wearing ‘中國民俗舞的服裝(俏丫頭)’ was recalled so I never did get a shot where everything came together.Jiazi 'Chinese Fairy Dancer' poses with umbrella, Guiren District, Tainan City, TaiwanBy the time I got my young dancer back I was starting to lose light and I began dragging the shutter to get background exposure, which blurred her body but kept her face sharp.Young Jiazi Dancer in front of Guiren's Beiji Temple, Tainan, TaiwanNow, about forty minutes later I had lost so much light that I decided to just shut the background down to black. This final dancer is wearing the Dai Minority’s White Peacock costume(傣族的白孔雀服(靈雀雲飛)).Jiazi dancer performing Dai White Peacock Dance, Tainan, Taiwan