On Saturday 27th July, PAIRfect Moment Studio had the pleasure of being contracted to capture the Swing Project’s summer party, an organisation that hosts classes, workshops and events for dancers of all levels, with a primary focus on Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz.
Kasia had previously been contracted by Jessie and Benjie, the organisers, since 2023.
“It was my fourth time I was asked to take photos for The Swing Project.
The first time ever I took photos was back in December 2023 for the Christmas party. So, it was nice to be back at the St Mary’s church hall in Cardiff last weekend.
I found taking photos of people dancing and in low light conditions very challenging, comparing with other types of photography. Being the Lindy Hop dancer helped enormously when trying to capture the moves, but still it is hard to read the leader’s mind. Every time I am taking photos of dancers, listening to my favourite music, I found it so difficult to stay still to take sharp photos.
My feet were tapping, and my brain was telling me to dance – and seeing so many happy faces was a hard thing to resist, lol.”
This was Lee’s first time with the group.
"It was incredibly hot (even as a photographer let alone as a dancer), but just snapping away from the side-lines I could tell what an absolute blast these people were getting. As a photographer, the challenge of capturing the dancers was significant. Initially, I was getting the shot after the magic happened. After a while, I started to learn to see the photograph before it happened, watching the movements of the dancers as they moved into what would be a good shot, then capturing the expression of the moment. Using different cameras and lenses also proved interesting, balancing out focus tracking with light and associated settings. In the end, a balance was struck, the results speak for themselves."
Kasia and Lee wholeheartedly recommend “The Swing Project”, if you would like to learn to dance, lose weight, or just mingle with other people set on having an innocent good time. Jessie and Benjie are amazing teachers, and there is always a fantastic atmosphere.
