Professional dancers and gymnasts: 15 candid photos without vulgarity (16+)

Professional photographer of dancers and athletes since 2016. She worked with famous dancers and athletes from Russia and the world.

My work is featured in internationally curated online galleries.
She did fashion shoots for Russian, European, and Asian clothing brands for dancers. Art prints of my work are kept in private collections around the world.

Publications, competitions:
2018: Publication in AMICA magazine (Spain).
2021 Monochrome Photography Awards: FINE ART: HONORABLE MENTION (PROFESSIONAL).

10 PHOTOS

1. Natalia, tell us a little about yourself.
I create artistic photographs of athletes and dancers in a minimalist style.

I show the beauty and aesthetics of the lines of the body, formed by many years of work and perseverance. I pay special attention to lighting, as well as to the technical perfection of the frame.

2. How did you get into photography of athletes and dancers?

Since childhood, I was interested in watching competitions in rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming, I was fascinated by the grace and incredible abilities of athletes.

Once I decided to try to enroll in the rhythmic gymnastics section, but at that time I was already 8-10 years old, and I was refused since usually children start at the age of 4.

In the future, I went in for various amateur sports and dances, and learned a lot about the physiology of movements and about my own body.

I came to photography courses in 2016 when I realized that I wanted to understand how my first SLR camera worked and learn how to take better pictures while traveling.

3. I studied various genres (portrait, family, interior, and reportage photography). I shot everything in a row, not planning to become a professional photographer.

In 2017, when I was preparing my final work on the photography course on the topic “the path to a dream”, I decided to make one of the shots on the topic “student and coach”, inviting my adult gymnastics coach and a girl from the audience to shoot.

After that, I realized that it was mine!

She started with gymnasts, and later met with ballet and circus artists. In such an unexpected way, my childhood dream came true.

4. Do you prefer studio shooting? Why?

Studio shooting allows you to clearly control the lighting, regardless of weather conditions. I like to carefully build the light in such a way as to emphasize the relief and lines of the body, this is very important. In addition, the studio provides more comfort for the model.

5. Have you shot reports or competitions before?

I tried to do reportage shooting, but I realized that staged shooting is much better for me.

6. How do you find ideas for filming and what inspires you?

I'm looking for ideas for filming on social media and Pinterest. It can be just interesting poses or large-scale shooting in the style of minimalism or fashion. As a result of mixing found and own ideas, interesting projects are obtained. But the main source of inspiration for me is the people I photograph.

7. How do you find a common language with athletes?

With experience came an understanding of physiology, and mastery of basic terms, for example, the names of ballet poses or gymnastic elements. This greatly facilitates mutual understanding of the set.

8. Do you show them what you want to see in the picture?

Yes, often I show myself because not everything can be described in words. Thus, it is easier for me to understand whether it is possible to realize the plan physically. Sometimes I find references to poses on the Internet, take them as a basis, changing them to fit the tasks - myself or together with my models.

9. Tell us about your favorite lighting schemes?

I love very simple light. Two sources of pulsed light - drawing and modeling, softened by an octobox and a stripbox. Sometimes I add background highlights.

10. Mostly in your shots, perfect bodies, can an ordinary person get to shoot with you?

Athletes and dancers sometimes come to me for shooting - amateurs with different experiences - someone started training two months ago, someone for several years. I am sure that you can choose poses to emphasize the strengths of each.

11. Do you take everyone or do the casting? Prior communication?

If I photograph for my own projects, then I am looking for active professional dancers and athletes of a certain type. Of course, it is also very important that the views on beauty are close to mine. We communicate in advance on social networks, I talk about my idea and the necessary preparation, and sometimes I involve stylists and collaborate with clothing brands.

12. Are your prints available for purchase? Tell me more, how, where?

My prints are posted in several online galleries (Saatchi art, Artmajeur, Zatista), but in the current situation, they can only be ordered directly from my website https://sletanis.com/ via the feedback form. I print my work from the best specialists, and I control the process myself.

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