Argentine tango dancers are part athlete, part actor… and all the way obsessed.
To watch them at work is awe-inspiring. Their sleek bodies. Their muscular calves. The way they effortlessly bend and twirl… and that look of pure passion on their faces.
This January in Buenos Aires, I was transfixed. In the mid-summer heat, I stood staring as a couple pretzeled themselves, unaffected by his thick suit and her sparkly stilettos.
Somehow, the urge to photograph them was stronger than my social anxiety and broken Spanish. When they finished their dance, I walked up and—very awkwardly—asked if they would meet for a stock photo shoot in the same spot, early in the morning, before the tourists arrive.
Miraculously, they agreed, and we had an amazing shoot…
I put these images up in my stock agencies, and, about two months later, this one has sold over 135 times… and is quickly gaining speed to potentially become my top-seller!
Who knew tango images were in such high demand?
My point in telling you this story is that, even if you’re a little scared… even if you’re not sure how your photos will come out… and even if you don’t speak the language very well… it’s worth it to simply ask. These two dancers signed model releases for me, and I gave them the images, which they were very happy to have.