We add value to your dance school with a friendly and professional team and take insanely high end studio quality photos
We use a paper-less, online sign-up, viewing and purchasing system coupled with the best service and incredibly prompt communication
As a dance studio owner and manager, you strive to teach artistic form, flexibility, technique, integrity, teamwork and unity.
You work hard year after year to create a beautiful picture of your hard work. I want your actual picture to come out as beautifully as your hard hard work. My team and I are all professional photographers that don’t take the easy route in high volume dance photography. I have systems and techniques that I have put together to treat your studio right and take amazing photos that your clients will love.
I encourage you to break out of the norm and hire us to come for your yearly photo day. We will not let you down and are priced just as competitively as the others and often times even less.
Our Advantages
- Eco friendly. No paper forms are used
- Sign-ups, ordering, communication and photo delivery done securely online
- Simplified photo packages including downloads, prints and novelty items
- High quality equipment, lighting and an experienced dance photographer is used (Doug) resulting in high quality, sharp and clean photos
- Flexibility with you allowing us to work within the schedule that best suits you and your clients
- Every photo is personally edited for the best quality
- Fast turnaround. Our software is optimized to get photos online, fast
- No minimums. Small studios to large studios, we have the capability to handle all scenarios
What Makes us Different?
- We care. Every dancer is a client to us. Not just another number closer to the finish line. We spend just a few seconds more to make sure the pose, composition and look is just right
- We give back. Dance studios are labors of love. Photography is very much the same. We support those who support us.
- Fully thought out process. We work with you to make sure everything goes as smooth as possible when we arrive and more importantly, when the dancers arrive.
- We are fun and friendly! We know photo days can get very long and tiring. Positive energy is something we maintain from start to finish.
- Our look. We can provide different solutions based on your preferences. For group photos, we are flexible with props you may want to add to tie a theme together.
We offer two very different types of picture days
Over the last couple of years, many things have changed. Dance recital picture days included. We have worked with a couple dance schools on a new way of doing picture day. Self booking sessions. Parents can book their own session which fits their schedule and prevents multiple trips or waiting around for hours. Below are the 2 different types of pictures days we offer. Traditional and Self Booking Sessions. We don’t have a preference of one way or another because it’s more about what you prefer.
Traditional
This type is the common type of picture day we all know. It is also called group and individual.
Commonly, the dance school creates a schedule for the dancers to come in to the school based on their group routines. The whole group arrives, we take a handful of group photos and then begin with individual photos. Once all the individual photos are taken, we move on to the next group.
We get great group images that you, parents and dancers can look back on forever. Group photos are great keepsakes and memories. For you, the dance school owner, we gift you with a large framed print with all of the groups together which is great for decorating the halls or walls of your lobby area. It shows the accomplishments over the years and is welcoming to new prospective students as well.
We love this style of picture day and most dance schools do as well.
Self Booking Sessions
This type of picture day is somewhat new and we’ve developed it over the last couple years to be something parents and many schools love. Dance schools love it because YOU no longer have to struggle making a schedule to try and revolve around everyones busy schedule.
With a self booking session, we forgo group photos and only take individual photos. We setup just like a traditional picture day at your dance school, however the dancers come at a time that they have chosen based on their availability. The sessions are in 5 minute intervals which means we get a lot of great photos in that time.
These picture days tend to be long so that there is enough time for all the dancers that want to participate, have an oppertunity to do so. We build in “buffers” throughout the day so that things stay on time and to keep the flow going.
An explanation of the lead up and excecution is detailed but pretty simple overall. First, we print off a flyer that can be handed to each parent. They are often included in recital packets or on the front counter. They contain the basic info needed such as the date of picture day as well as the day and time registrations begin. There is a QR code which is easily scanned on their phone which takes them to the sign up form.
The date that the sign-ups start is a big day. Everyone wants first pick of the available times and all sessions are first come, first served. On the flyer, the opening day and time will be clearly indicated. Parents fill out the required information and pick a session time (or multiple) and pay a deposit for each session booked. This deposit goes towards purchasing later.
During picture day, we follow the schedule, have a timer and take a lot of great photos!
In order to help visualize this process, please refer to the video below which shows the sign-up process.
So, Why have a picture day?
Why continue this tradition?
No matter the age, dance is a huge part of each dancers life. A little 5 year old girl dressed up in a tutu or a boy in tap shoes with slacks, suspenders and top hat make the cutest photos. Parents love to bookmark these moments and save them. Our littles only grow up once! These are big memories! When these littles grow up, they absolutely want to be able to look back on these moments.
The dancers that take dance to the next level and are in multiple classes or join the company team LOVE to see their progression of their dance life. They work incredibly hard to learn, stretch, stay fit and dedicate time away from other friends to practice. They learn so much each year and to be able to document it is invaluable.
Parents spend a ton of money on dance costumes so they can be worn for a single recital before they don’t fit anymore. Allowing them to have quality professional photos taken of their dancer in those cool and expensive costumes is important.
One big advantage to us is our style and technique. It doesn’t go out of style. It’s a solid white background. Our photos are lit very well using the most advanced lighting in the industry and our equipment is the highest level available. These photos last, they look great, parents love them, dancers love them, and fellow dance school owners love them. Just look at our Google reviews!
Why I Do This
As parents of a dancer as well as being a professional photographer, we get dance. We never purchased prints or paid the high price for a blurry, generic looking photo that is more geared to a school photo or football setting than dance. My name is Doug and I am the lead photographer who decided to offer quality dance worthy photography. The processes of dance photography is typically very stressful and chaotic. I have worked hard to find a way to streamline recital photo days. We take the stress from the studio and process all forms and payments and handle everything except distribution of physical items. We also give back. Dance instructors and staff get a complimentary headshot! We are also available to photograph your recital performance! Ultimately, we are always learning and improving, however we have a method that we use but we are flexible and work to make this as easy as possible for all involved.
Dance is beautiful and so are your dancers. Dance represents passion, perseverance and teamwork and we highlight that with our photos.
We love dance and strive to take the best photos a studio can ask for and we come at a reasonable price. We understand everyone has different budgets and we cater to all of those budgets so each family can take home photos of their great dancer.
Are you looking for our Youth Sports Photography? Check it out HERE
©2023 Doug Dienelt | Doug Dienelt Photography is based in the midwest and serves dance schools all over the USA including but not limited to Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Iowa.
All photographs, images and content on this website were created and are owned by Doug Dienelt, Doug Dienelt Photography, and are protected under the copyright laws of the United States. Nothing contained in this website may be used without written permission from Doug Dienelt,Doug Dienelt Photography
