Dance Photography: Keeping Performers Safe While Capturing Every Moment

Photography plays such an important role in celebrating dancers’ achievements, every leap, turn, and smile tells a story. But it’s just as important that event photography is handled with care, ensuring performers are kept safe and their privacy respected.

At LW Photography, we believe you can have both, beautiful, professional photos and a safe, respectful approach that protects every performer.

Our Approach to Safe and Respectful Photography

We understand how important it is for organisers, teachers, and parents to feel confident about how event photos are managed. That’s why all of our dance event galleries are password-protected, ensuring only those with connections to the event can access the images.

We also share only a small, carefully selected number of highlight images on social media to celebrate the event. If we’ve been made aware of dancers who cannot be photographed or shared publicly, we make sure those images are never included.

Communication and Awareness

Before every dance competition or festival, we work closely with organisers to understand any safeguarding requirements.This includes being informed of dancers who should not appear in public-facing content and ensuring our photographers are aware of this before the event begins.

This communication helps us maintain a smooth, safe experience for everyone involved, and ensures families can enjoy their photos with full peace of mind.

Best Practice for Organisers

Organisers already do an excellent job of keeping dance events safe and well-managed. From our experience, a few simple best practices help everything run even more smoothly:

✅ Ensure all photographers have a current DBS certificate.

✅ Use password-protected galleries so only participants and families can access images.

✅ Communicate safeguarding notes clearly before the event.

✅ Encourage parents to respect photo purchasing rules — supporting photographers helps the community thrive.

💡 Top Tip: A clear photography policy not only protects dancers but also helps events run more smoothly by setting expectations for everyone involved.

Respect for Photographers’ Work

Professional photography adds huge value to every event — but it’s only sustainable when that work is respected.We always encourage families to support their event photographers by purchasing photos rather than sharing unpaid images online.

This small act helps ensure photographers can continue providing the high-quality coverage and fast turnaround that make festivals special.

Safeguarding Without Losing the Magic

Ultimately, dance event photography should enhance the experience, not complicate it. By combining clear communication, password-protected galleries, and responsible sharing, we make sure every performer’s moment in the spotlight is handled safely and professionally.

At LW Photography, we’re proud to capture the artistry, emotion, and energy of the dance community — while maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding and respect.

📧 Contact us: hello@lw-photo.co.uk

🌐 Learn more: lw-photo.co.uk