Missing Photographing the Freddy Awards

Posted on May 21, 2020 by dabourphoto

The year is 2020 – the year without the Freddy Awards. Or sort of. Because of the CoronaVirus quarantine, many schools were not able to perform their high school musicals.That would make it unfair to compare them to one another.

Photos of the opening performance at the 2015 Freddy Awards. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

But that doesn’t mean I can’t go back into my archives to relive some of the great moments I’ve experienced since I’ve been photographing them since 2013.

Photos of award presentation at the 2015 Freddy Awards. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

There’s so much to love about the Freddy Awards. The excitement of being in the audience during the live awards is indescribable. The love of theatre and energy in the air is unmeasurable.

Photos of Bangor High School performing “Hairspray” at the 2015 Freddy Awards. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

I always love action photos and there are plenty to choose from

Photos of the “Peep” having extra stage time and attention than what was planned at the 2015 Freddy Awards. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

There’s the special unexpected moments….

Photos of Freddy Awards rehearsal on Saturday May 21, 2016. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

And the special guests

Photos of the 2017 Freddy Award rehearsal on Sunday May 21, 2017. Photo By DAVE DABOUR

The awards show make it all look easy but there are days and hours of rehearsals…

And the special moments the kids really enjoy!

Photos of the May 21 rehearsal for the 2018 Freddy Awards. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

Did I mention the fantastic lighting? Yep we got that too.

There’s alumni that come back on a regular basis and visit the show

And so many kids, happy to be there. How they all fit on the stage at once is a miracle at times

Photos of the Freddy Awards 2014 dress rehearsal on Wednesday. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

Put it all together and you have some fantastic moments captured for a lifetime of enjoyment.

I have all of my Freddy Awards photography on my website for viewing and purchase at https://www.dabourphotography.com/Freddy-Awards from 2013 to last year. Sadly there will be no photos from this year. Keep your fingers crossed and prayers for next year.

I invite you to tune into WFMZ tonight at 7 pm to relive memories of past Freddy Awards and scholarship presentations. The broadcast will also be streamed online at http://www.wfmz.com

Here are some additional memories to enjoy. Many, many more on my website!

Zoom Session with principal Ballet Dancer

Posted on May 8, 2020 by dabourphoto

Dancers – if your considering going pro and pursuing a career in dancing, I highly recommend you talk to dancers that are doing it today! This is a limited opportunity to listen and perhaps chat with a professional ballet dancer.

Pas de Deux is hosting a free webinar with Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina Gonzalez on Wednesday, May 13, at 2 pm EDT/11 am PDT.

Karina will talk about her journey in becoming a professional dancer and what it’s like. She will also take questions during the webinar from attendees.

This is a fascinating opportunity to hear from a principal dancer from a major ballet company.

Feel free to share this info and the registration link. We are limited to 100 attendees so sign up soon.

https://us02web.zoom.us/…/register/WN_pGeNdHn2SiW5OUXUOvldjg

10 Tips For Better Pet Photography

Posted on May 6, 2020 by dabourphoto

Professional pet photographers make it look so easy! Anyone who has tried to photograph their own pet knows how challenging this can be! Here are some pet photography tips that you can use to help you get the perfect shot

Relax. Your pet can sense if you’re nervous or uptight. A stressed animal will give you ‘ears flattened’, ‘concerned eyes’ look, which doesn’t look good. Take a deep breath and remember to have fun with it!

2. Focus n the eyes and expressions. Just like in photos of humans, we always look at the eyes first. The eyes are the most expressive part of an animal’s face. So if you want to create really engaging portraits, focus on their eyes.

3. Clean up the area. Plan where you want to photograph your pet and make sure it has plenty of light (natural works best – near a window) and tidy it up. Try to avoid distracting and vivid colored objects unless it’s your pet’s favorite.

4. Photograph at their level. Get down to their level and try some portraits at their eye level. Yes, that might mean getting down and dirty! Or in this case, licked to death!

Photographing your pet near a window makes for great light

5. Go to the light. Light is always important along with great expressions. You want to be able to see the catchlight’s in the pet’s eyes (the white reflective parts). Avoid photographing in dark rooms. Outside is best but avoid bright sunlight as it tends to flatten the image. Shady spots or anyplace where the light is diffused are ideal

6. Keep treats handy. Every model wants and needs some motivation to pay attention to you during the photoshoot. Otherwise, they will wander off and become distracted.

7. Plan ahead. Create a concept and a shot list ahead of time. Sure you’re probably not going to get every photograph you plan on but you’ll be ahead of the game. Go to Pinterest or any image gallery and search on “dog/cat/your pet portraits/photographs and see what others have done that you love. There are some great options with holiday themes!

8. Quiet and Calm. This goes along with the Relax tip. Avoid giving multiple commands at them repeatedly. This tends to confuse some pets. Try communicating with your pet the way they do to each other – non verbally. Use hand signals or point to invite them ‘over here’.

9. Move slowly. This goes along with the Relax and Quiet and Calm tips. Unless you want action photos of your pet, move in a slow manner to avoid getting your pet all stirred up. If your goal is to get some natural photos of them doing their own thing, this is important as you don’t want to disturb them

10. Patience. Applies to life in general but like anything else is a virtue. If you are patient enough, your pet will end up being relaxed and you will have more opportunities to get a nice photograph.

What tips do you have? Leave a comment below to share with others!

Freddy Awards 2019 Retrospective

Posted on April 23, 2020 by dabourphoto

Photos of the 2019 Freddy Awards on May 23, 2019. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

What we feared most has sadly come true. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, there will be no 2020 Freddy Awards. But wait – all is not lost. WFMZ and the wonderful State Theatre will be having a television special on Thursday, May 21 at 6:30 pm. Details are still being worked out on what will be in the special but I can’t wait!

My favorite photos from last year’s Freddy Awards are currently on display at the Easton Hospital Gallery inside the State Theatre. Of course, no one will be able to see them until we return a little more to the old normal and are able to re-open the theater. In the meantime, I wanted to share a slide show of my photos that are on display in the gallery.

If you see one you love they are for sale by the State Theater. Please contact them to find out how to purchase. Get in touch with me if you have any questions.

To see many, many more photographs I created at rehearsals, back stage as well as awards night please visit: https://www.dabourphotography.com/Freddy-Awards

Until next year, break a leg!

A Chat with Ashley Bouder

Posted on April 18, 2020 by dabourphoto

For all my dancers out there I highly recommend this interview with Ashley Bouder. This was a Zoom session I participated in with on Friday. Has I known in advance how much Ashley was going to share, I would have shared the invite with all the dance school and dance teachers that are clients of mine.

Ashley Bouder is a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and is the founder of the Ashley Bouder Project. She sat down with Pas de Deux on April 17, 2020, to talk about the Coronavirus quarantine and life as a professional dancer. She discusses dealing with injuries and what it’s like to be a principal dancer, and how to conduct yourself at auditions. The video is an hour long.

CHS Palm Sunday 2020

Posted on April 5, 2020 by dabourphoto

Video from the Church of the Holy Spirit’s 2020 Palm Sunday service

Regular readers of my photography blog will find the above post a little bit strange. Truth be told, an elderly parishioner at my church couldn’t see the online video from Palm Sunday. I needed a quick way to convert the Facebook Live video into another easy format for her to see it since she doesn’t have a Facebook account. Putting the link in my blog was a quick way to accomplish this! And if you are search for an Episcopal church I highly recommend Church of the Holy SPirit in Lebanon, NJ. http://www.churchholyspirit.org.

Want To Go To A Theme Park Today?

Posted on April 2, 2020 by dabourphoto

Yeah me too! But of course that’s not possible right now, but let’s hope soon.

Until then we can go on virtual tours!

Virtual theme park experiences:

Walt Disney World: Set aside some time, because there’s plenty to see here. Virtual tours you can take include Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot, just to name a few. There are also unofficial YouTube videos that feel just like you’re on famous rides like the Frozen Ever After ride, It’s a Small World, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

LEGOLAND Florida Resort: The Great Lego Race and Miniland USA are just two of the attractions you can check out in a virtual tour of the park.

SeaWorld Orlando: The virtual tour of Seaworld includes a tour of Discovery Cove and the option to”ride” the steel roller coaster Mako.

Dabour Photography Blog

Let us capture the moments so you can enjoy them…

Missing Photographing the Freddy Awards

Zoom Session with principal Ballet Dancer

10 Tips For Better Pet Photography

Freddy Awards 2019 Retrospective

A Chat with Ashley Bouder

CHS Palm Sunday 2020

Want To Go To A Theme Park Today?

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