Ruth Smith is a talented up and coming photographer based in Cape Town. This ex-dancer turned dance and theatre photographer caught our attention with her striking and beautifully shot "City Strolling" photo series. In this series, she teams up with passionate ballet dancers and shoots them while exploring the streets of the city. She expertly captures the soul of the dancer in the urban environment. Make sure you check out her gallery over on her Instagram and Facebook profiles!
The Interview
1. How would you classify your photographic style and who inspires you?
I would describe my photographic style as theatrical yet subdued. eloquent, and spontaneous (as I don’t work with shot lists very often). I’m inspired by and in awe of Paul Sovari, Karolina Kuras, Mark Olich, Vikki Sloviter, Kenneth Brewster Edwards, and Darian Volkova who are all incredible dance photographers; their work provides me with daily inspiration and motivation. I’m also captivated by The Kitcheners, a pair of wedding photographers whose work is cinematic and exquisite, and whose editing style I genuinely love.
2. What is it that draws you to pick up your camera and take a photo?
The simple and obvious answer is that I just love taking photos of dancers, and I feel fulfilled capturing the movement of a dancer. But to be honest, it’s also the competitive side of my personality that prompts a need to shoot. Whether it’s seeing someone else getting paid to do a job I feel confident I could have done better or finding work so beautiful I can’t imagine ever being that good, there’s a tiny green-eyed monster in my head constantly egging me on to showcase my work.
3. What type of gear do you use and do you have any favourites?
I’m quite simplistic with my daily drivers. I carry a Canon 700d around with me and my go-to lens is the Canon 50mm f/1.8. However, I’m keen to start playing around in the 35mm, as well as the mirrorless space. When I need equipment for a shoot, I often hire, but I never allow a lack of equipment to be the excuse for not working or not trying to get a shot.
4. What would be your ultimate shot and how would you shoot it?
Having danced myself, and having dancers be my subjects, my ultimate shoot is not about a single shot or person, but more about the venue. I dream about shooting in the most famous ballet homes of the world such as Royal Opera House, The Palais Garnier, Metropolitan Opera House or the Bolshoi Theatre. And I would specifically like to shoot from the wings or directly above the stage.
5. What is the most challenging part of photographing your preferred subject?
Disappointing the dancers by not beautifully capturing them in any one movement that I know they’ve worked hard to perfect, or something they’ve rehearsed for months on end. The worst feeling is getting home and finding I’ve shot the second just before and the second just after the “perfect” moment of a dance movement.
6. What’s next on the horizon that you’re most excited about?
Turning my photography into physical products, like the photographic ballet tote bags I handmade, as well as one day having an exhibition of my City Strolling series.
7. If you could go back in time and offer yourself one piece of advice when you picked up the camera for the first time, what would it be?
Stay calm, don’t rush the shot, be patient.
www.ruthsmith.photography
"My photographic career began almost as soon as my pursuit of a dance career ended. At the age of 23 I stepped off the stage and picked up a camera. It was my love for the performing arts and my 17 years’ dance experience that gave me a solid foundation and good eye for capturing dancers, whether in the studio, backstage, on the city streets, or in performance.
It’s exciting to think of where next this journey will take me."
