Theatre, dance, opera and music are some of the things I most enjoy working on as a photographer.

But surprisingly often, I get a call or an email that starts off, 'I know this is short notice, but' - and it can be anything from 'we've just realised we need a photographer for next week' to 'our dress rehearsal is in an hour, can you make it?'

Often, this isn’t the production's fault - they had someone booked, something happened, they need to find another photographer on short notice.

But it got me thinking recently, what's the best way to involve a photographer in a show? In an ideal world, how & when would I like to be contacted?

The easy answer would be just 'as early as possible'; but of course, there are a number of ways photographers get involved in a work, even stretching back as far as a brochure shoot a year or more ahead of the actual performance dates, often before the cast are even decided on - or sometimes even before the script is finalised!

So, where are the possible places to involve the production photographer - and what might come out of it?

Now, obviously, not EVERY production is going to have the time or resources to involve a photographer at EVERY stage of a show’s life; but isn’t it worth looking for how many different ways you can build that relationship, if the quality of the images - and by extension, all the marketing, social media, and publicity materials that use them - is that much better as a result…?

You wouldn't want to miss having your production, set, costume and lighting designers involved as early and often as possible, in the process of creating a work; and for all the same reasons, your photographer should be there, too.

Keep an eye on this page for more updates to my series on photographing the arts, or to catch up on previous instalments - and follow me on Twitter or Facebook to hear about them immediately! 

Images above:

Early Development / Workshop: Legs On The Wall - The Raft workshop

The First Read-Through: Apocalypse Theatre - The Dapto Chaser rehearsal script with promotional image on cover

Design Presentations: Pinchgut Opera - Theodora design presentation

Announcements, Photo Ops & Media Calls: Belvoir Theatre - Mitchell Butel, Marcus Graham and Luke Mullins in an Angels In America publicity image

The Poster / Promotional Image: An Assorted Few - Chloe Bayliss in a promotional image for Home Invasion

The Rehearsal Room: Sport For Jove - the cast of No End Of Blame in rehearsal

Technical Setup / Production Week: Nick Schlieper at the New Zealand International Arts Festival

Dress Rehearsal: LPD Productions - the cast of Cry-Baby at the Hayes Theatre

Opening Night: The cast of Bonnie Lythgoe Productions’ Sleeping Beauty at the State Theatre, Sydney