Usually, when people talk about watching a ballet, they talk about live performance. In my case watching dance means enjoying sets of photographs. Maybe it has something to do with my short attention span.
Official website
Richard Calmes Photography
Dance Photography of Richard Calmes
Keeping the moment where it belongs.
In your mind.
Kylie Shea Avery Ward Jacqueline Green Abigrace Diprima
Photography by Richard Calmes
” All of my shots are real. I do not composite dancers into settings. If a dancer is in the street in Times Square, they really are on the street in Times Square. However, I do enhance those shots to make the dancer look better.”
Richard Calmes

More examples of Richard’s work on his website.
Photography by Richard Calmes
Richard Calmes involvement with photography started in DaNang, South Viet Nam in 1968. First, he provided help to company combat photographer, and then, later on, he became company photographer himself.
So, he started by creating a photo chronicle of (ugliness of) war and ended up photographing a (beauty of) ballet.
Bibliography
Great art books by Richard Calmes
Moving Moments – Publish Date Apr 12, 2018
Lines and LEAPS – Publish Date Apr 23, 2014
Dance Magic (D E) – Publish Date Feb 01, 2010
Dance Magic – Publish Date: Jan 14, 2010
Alexandra Bowen
Photography by Richard Calmes
Body Expression
Richard Calmes is an “action photographer.” He tries to capture the movement of a dancers body in the best possible moment, so the end product, the photograph, presents not just the level of dancers physical abilities, but also the beauty of the movement itself.
For more dance photography.
Visit Richard’s website
When you watch ballet life on stage, lots of things happen. Dozens and dozens of short outbursts of energy every single minute and when something catches your attention, by the time you get thru one of those “Wow! That was spectacular!” kind of thoughts, the dancer is at the other end of the stage doing something else, and you can’t recall what has happened between then and now…
Richard catches those great moments with his camera (some on stage and some in the studio), so guys like me can sit down and look at those spectacular moments without any need to rush thru avalanche of emotions, but be able to kick back, relax and enjoy the moment with the help of good cigar and glass of port.
