Ballet Folklórico in San Diego – Three Magazine Covers for AAA

Ballet Folklórico is a traditional Mexican dance form that celebrates the country’s regional cultures through elaborate costumes, vibrant colors, and choreography rooted in folk traditions. Each region of Mexico has its own distinct style — from the flowing skirts of Jalisco to the intricate footwork of Veracruz — and the dancers train extensively to master the precise, expressive movements that make the art form so visually striking. It’s been a staple of Mexican cultural identity for generations, and San Diego has a thriving Folklórico community worth knowing about.

Earlier this summer, AAA gave me the opportunity to photograph several of San Diego’s Ballet Folklórico companies. I was essentially playing tourist in my own hometown, traveling to various locations to document rehearsals and performances both indoors and out. The shoot ended up producing three magazine covers for AAA, and I’m genuinely stoked with how they turned out.

This type of dance is a photographer’s paradise — the combination of explosive color and controlled movement gives you a lot to work with. That said, it completely changes how you have to think on set. I had to shelve my lifestyle photographer instincts, where you can stage scenes and direct people, and shift into more of a sports photography mindset. A lot of zone focusing, anticipating movements, waiting for the right moment, then firing off a burst and sorting through the results. Some frames were bad, some were decent, and a handful had exactly the right elements to satisfy the photo editor.

Above: Dancer: Reyna Mendoza | Company: Danzarts | 1/160, f/2.2, ISO 3200

This was honestly the first time I had been published at ISO 3200 — let alone on a cover. But when you’re shooting a recital, your options are pretty limited: use direct flash, set up off-camera strobes, or ramp up the ISO and work with the existing light. I went with option three. It’s less disruptive to the performers and the audience, and with today’s cameras the results are more than usable.

Above: Dancer: Mireya Pinell-Cruz | Company: Danzarts | 1/125, f/3.2, ISO 100 (Single strobe with 32″ softbox)

I was also asked to shoot a few posed portraits throughout the project. For those I kept the lighting simple — one small softbox to maintain contrast and let those costumes do the heavy lifting.

Above: Dancer: Dayanna Solis | Company: Folklórico Real de San Diego (Claudia Gomez) | 1/400, f/2.5, ISO 250

For the action shots, I found the sweet spot shutter speed landed somewhere between 1/125 and 1/500. That range lets you keep a slight motion blur on the flowing skirts while the dancer’s face stays sharp — which is really what sells the image. Outdoor locations gave me more flexibility with settings, but even then I was riding the dials more than I would on a typical portrait or lifestyle shoot.

A few outtakes and behind-the-scenes shots from the project below…

Interested in having your event or performance photographed? Whether it’s a cultural festival, dance performance, corporate event, or editorial project, I’d love to work with you. Get in touch here and let’s talk about your next shoot.