Stamp It Out
I feel fortunate so much of my early exploration as a photographer was with dancers. When I ordered my first DSLR (a Canon 30D that was the absolute perfect starter camera) I was still employed with American Ballet Theater, so I made sure whenever there was a rehearsal I could photograph, I did. The unpredictability, the quick thinking, and the attention to detail one needs when photographing dance was painstaking to learn, but when I “got the shot” the reward felt better than any bow I’d taken on stage.
Trying to contain my excitement the morning of the shoot.
Even when I stopped performing, I was still immersed in the industry. My sister is a professional tap dancer (she toured with “42nd Street” and now performs with Dorrance Dance), my brother-in-law, Nicholas Young, is a tap dancer with the same company, and my mom is a tap teacher; even my dad had shoes for a while. Though I’d hung up my ballet slippers, I was serenaded by the intricate rhythms of tap dance on a regular basis. Festivals, recitals, promo shoots…I photographed it all as I carved out a niche as a dance and theater photographer.
One thing I certainly had never photographed—or even dreamed of—was stamps. So, you can imagine my surprise when, in October 2019, I got an email simply titled “USPS Tap Stamp Project.” The proposal was that I, along with phenomenal Creative Director Ethel Kessler, would create a series of Forever Stamps celebrating this great American art form.
Immediately my mind started racing. There were so many icons of the industry I wanted to honor and include. I consider myself knowledgeable about the tap world, but wanted to ensure I did my research and showed the form in all of its beauty. I reached out to various contacts who helped me expand my dream list to cast as wide of a net as possible.
Weeks of planning, and we’d finally settled on a group of performers to photograph. Now I just had to make sure I did them justice. All dance is hard to capture, but in my opinion tap may be the most difficult of all. So much of the experience of watching a performance comes down to what you hear. So I need the photo to feel audible when you see it.
Working with Ayodele Casel at the shoot. (Photo by Evan Zimmerman)
In the preparation for the shoot, one of the biggest things I had to think about was size. Normally I’m used to my work being presented in larger formats—on Playbill covers or billboards to advertise a show. This time it was “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” How does a photo have maximum impact when viewed at a size barely larger than a square inch? How does it stop you while you’re sorting mail?
Immediately I knew the shapes would have to be as dynamic as possible; we needed to see each of the limbs clearly. This is where Ethel’s brilliant creative direction—black clothing on a bright colorful background—would really help us out. The contrast would, hopefully, catch the eye immediately.
The day of the shoot, we photographed each dancer, one at a time, for roughly 30 minutes. They came in, presented a few outfit options, had their hair and makeup done, and then dance dance danced.
Even though I knew most of these performers well already, I approached this shoot the same way I approach all of my dance shoots. I ask the performer to select some music they feel like moving to, then ask them to begin a bit of improvisation. The minute something catches my eye I yell out for them to do it again, and sometimes give a note or two. “This time with the left arm up.” “This time looking off camera and facing on the diagonal.” And I use my favorite phrase ad nauseam: “One more time.” (Apologies to everyone I’ve ever photographed who thought for a second it really was the last time.) I keep my shutter speed to the max sync speed, use Action Mode in my Paul C. Buff Einstein (this helps the flash duration freeze the movement), and throw a LOT of light on the subject to make them crisp. For this we had three lights and a large reflector. One main light in the front and two gelled lights hitting the cyc wall.
Assistant Extraordinaire, Evan Zimmerman, with Makeup Artist Extraordinaire, Nicolette Gold
The shoot was an absolute dance master class. We had performers ranging from their early 20s to their early 80s on set. Between each, my assistant Evan and I would consult with Ethel about any notes she had as she’d watched the photos come into CaptureOne. With tap, I am shooting rapidly (but always on single frame mode), so by the end of each performer I’d photographed roughly 300 images in search of that one magical shot. With any form of dance or theater photography I remind myself to stay present and only photograph with intention; I don’t shoot aimlessly and hope you’ll land on the right frame. Wait for the shot, anticipate and press the shutter at the exact right moment.
We’d line up the take so far for the day to ensure we were getting the variety in color backgrounds that we desired, then we’d move onto the next setup, switch out the gels, and repeat.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted but elated.
That elation was nothing in comparison to the day just a few short weeks ago when, to my surprise, the photos were announced and presented to the public for the first time. So far, the response has been beyond my wildest dreams. And now we have an official release date! July 8th, 2021 is the official ceremony. Who wants to send some letters this summer?
