As a professional performing arts photographer with over 10 years of experience, I have had the privilege of capturing some of the most iconic moments in the industry. With a background in music education (8 years as a middle school teacher!), I bring a unique perspective to my craft and am able to capture the essence of a performance through my lens. I specialize in a documentary style of photography that allows me to be unobtrusive and capture authentic moments. My work has brought me to some of the most prestigious venues in New York City, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden, as well as many others, and I have been featured in publications around the world.
I am dedicated to providing my clients with high-quality, visually stunning photos that truly capture the magic of their performances. Whether you're a musician, dancer, or actor, I am committed to creating images that will help promote your work and build your brand.
If you're looking for a talented, experienced performing arts photographer for your next performance, look no further. I would be honored to work with you to create beautiful, lasting memories of your event. Contact me today to book your session and let's work together to elevate your brand and showcase your talents to the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do you handle editing and retouching?
I offer basic photo editing services including cropping, color correction, and lighting adjustments to enhance the overall quality of the images. In addition, all photos will receive edits to make your images match stylistically with the photos that you see in my portfolio.
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How many photos will we recieve?*
The number of photos you will receive can vary depending on the length and nature of the event. However, a good estimate to use as a guideline is approximately 100 photos per hour of the event. Please note that this is an estimate and the actual number of photos may vary.
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When will we receive the edited photos?*
You will receive the edited photos within 2 weeks of your event. I understand that sometimes you may need your photos sooner, so I do offer rush options for an additional fee. Please let me know if you have any special time requirements and I will do my best to accommodate them.
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Do you offer posed photos?
Yes, I am able to take posed photographs, but it's not my main focus. My specialty is capturing candid and natural moments that showcase the energy, emotion, and dynamics of the performance. While I can definitely take posed photographs, I recommend that you take a look at my portfolio to get a sense of my style and approach to photography.
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Are there any additional expenses beyond the cost of the photoshoot?
When you book your photoshoot with me, there are no hidden costs or fees. The cost that is quoted to you during the booking process is the final amount you will be responsible for paying. You will not be required to pay any additional costs beyond what is quoted.
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What are we able to do with the images?
You are free to use the photos for any personal or commercial use. However, as the photographer, I retain the copyright to the images.
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How far in advance should I book?
I typically am booked around 6 months out, but I put no limit on that and I have repeat clients that regularly book me a year in advance in order to ensure their dates. The sooner you let me know the date you’e looking for, the better the chance I’ll be available.
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Should we get photos of the actual performance or of a dress rehearsal?
It depends what you're looking for. I have clients that opt for both and that is definitely the best option since you get the best of both worlds, but if you're only choosing one you should think about it this way: If you choose the performance, I may not be able to move around as much so the photos may not be as varied as in a rehearsal. On the other hand, I can get photos with the audience in it which is important to a lot of my clients. If you choose a rehearsal, you get the opposite, more varied photos but no audience shots.
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Any tips for better photos?
In general, just make sure I know what’s coming. If you’re going to want a group photo after the performance, make sure to tell me beforehand if possible. If there’s a special guest in the audience, let me know. The less surprises for me, the better. Other than that, the best advice I can give, which is good musical advice anyway, is to look up! If you’re in a performing ensemble make sure to look at the conductor (you’re welcome, conductors!) and look happy to be there so that when I take photos you’re not looking down at your music. If you’re not in a musical ensemble that uses sheet music, this is less of a worry, but still make sure to cheat out to the audience when possible so that I can get a good photo of your face. The other common thing I see, usually with choirs (although some other types of ensembles too), are people using iPads to view their sheet music. Musicians should be aware that iPads cause a blue light to be cast on your face which often can’t be removed from photos in editing.
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Can I have the unedited/RAW photos?
I don’t deliver unedited photos, as they don’t reflect the final quality and vision of my work. Think of the unedited images like a rehearsal. They’re an important part of the process, but not what you’d want to share with an audience. Every photo you receive has been carefully edited to match the polished, performance-ready standard you see in my portfolio.
What People Are Saying
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Beyond our wildest imaginings
Dan Wright is an unbelievably gifted photographer. We worked with him during a concert performance of our musical The Royal Pyrate at a fairly unconventional performance space - a barge on the waters of Red Hook called the Waterfront Museum. Dan made amazing use of the space - the compositions were dynamic and dramatic and the performers looked glamorous and locked-in. He even came early to get some rehearsal photos - these also looked amazing. I can't say enough good things about him - having good photos of a performance is absolutely a must if you want your show to have longevity beyond a one-off performance and Dan made our workshop look professional beyond our wildest imaginings.
— Chas L. (Polyphemus Productions)
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Dan beautifully documents our stories
eVoco Voice Collective has used Dan's services several times throughout the years and we have always been so enamored with his work. Dan is extremely prompt, professional and personable which makes working with him all the more enjoyable! Thank you so much for helping capture the stories we tell so beautifully!
— Alex P. (eVoco Voice Collective)
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Simply perfect!
We loved every second of working with Dan! From gracious and swift communications, to a professional, pleasant and joyous day-of and of course the absolutely remarkable results. Dan has added an air of ease and excitement to our performance day and gave us photos that are simply perfect to use for years to come. We are very excited for our newfound ability to showcase exactly what our company is all about using Dan's wonderful depiction of our performance.
— Sivan R. (Needs More Work Productions)
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A fantastic photography experience
Working with you on the Duruflé & Lusitano concert was fantastic! You were prompt, and as soon as the space and goals were introduced to you, you were independent and efficient - which is very much appreciated with a small staff/group. The photos were wonderful - we really like the diversity of images (full group, side shots, etc) as well as the wonderful lighting/editing job.
— Kimberly C. (The Dessoff Choirs)
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Dan captures our essence
Dan has become our go-to production photographer because they NEVER disappoint. We trust them to get the job done, and boy do they! They know how to capture our essence in a photograph so we can show the world who we are and what we stand for. We are deeply thankful to call Dan a part of our team.
- On Site Opera Staff
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Flawless
Professional, on time, flawless. Photos are top-notch and they beautifully seize the fleeting moment. The experience was excellent as it can possibly be.
- Emilio De Mercato, pianist
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Dan is highly professional and captured candid moments with ease
Working with you was surprisingly easy. You were unobtrusive during the shoot (an advantage for a photographer, I would say!), you shot quickly and thoroughly. You were very professional, and you know how to use your time efficiently. The number of good photos we received was very large; the only problem (not really a problem!) is trying to decide which to use. since so many were very effective. You captured wonderful candid moments and the energy and enthusiasm of our performers.
— Janice H. (Alaria Chamber Ensemble)
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Dan captured the small moments
The photos came out amazing! You did such a good job of capturing reaction shots and encapsulating small moments from the show. The photos are well balanced and crisp.
— Genesis L. (Cast member from A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
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Captures personality
Dan always catches the performers’ dynamism and their personalities with a perfect combination of full group shots and individual portraits. The composition and color of the photos is always gorgeous.
- Dr. Nicole Becker (Every Voice Choirs)
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A great variety!
Thank you Dan for gorgeous images! The event was sensibly captured, with a great variety of angles for each performer. It is quite obvious Dan loves what he does - he was very engaged and enthusiastic throughout the event. Great vibe - very nice to work with him!
— Fabio W. (The Hotchkiss School)
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Very Happy
We were very happy with the quality of the photos, the decorum and professionalism of the photographer
— Jonah L. (the cell theatre)
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Keen eye and ability to convey emotion
Dan Wright's photos from our Carnegie Hall dress rehearsal were outstanding. He captured both the beauty of the space and the intimate, candid moments of our musicians with remarkable artistry. His keen eye and ability to convey emotion set his work apart. We highly recommend him!
— Amy K. (Decoda)
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A stress-free and easy experience
Thank you for the great pictures and being so easy to work with and making photography such a stress-free part of the night.
— Likai K. (FreshStart Music Studio)
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A breeze to work with and stunning results
Working with Dan has been wonderful for us. We’ve had a variety of photographers work with us at Weill Recital Hall over the last 20 years and Dan has been the easiest and best results we have ever had. Dan knows so much about Carnegie and the staff all know and like working with them so it was a breeze. That is why I immediately booked them for all future concerts there. We were blown away with how smoothly working together went. The photos are gorgeous! Beautiful pictures and vibrant colors. We had just one where we wanted truer colors for the red and blue and Dan was so prompt and efficient at correcting the colors and sending a new edit over. The expressions you captured are wonderful. Everyone was thrilled.
— Cloud H. (Larchmont Music Academy)
Recent Work From Instagram
