Dennis Ross has been photographing Southern Stars – The Arena Spectacular since 2004 and isn’t tired of it yet. Photos: Dennis Ross and MSP Photography.
Two decades behind the lens at Southern Stars – The Arena Spectacular has done nothing to quell Dennis Ross’ enthusiasm.
“It never fails to wow me,” he says. “I’ll stick around taking photos for them for as long as my health holds up and I’m not a burden.”
Despite the countless incredible photographs taken, then painstakingly sorted and uploaded onto the Southern Stars gallery, the Illawarra man still considers himself an amateur.
Now 80, Dennis’ interest in photography started in his teens – his first photographs were taken with an old box brownie. His job as a high school teacher, however, didn’t leave much time to pursue his creative hobby.
READ ALSO: Behind the spectacle: The 25-year magic of Southern Stars and the team that makes it happen
Upon retiring in 2004 Dennis joined the Southern Stars team, encouraged by his wife who was the vocal director of the production at the time.
He wasn’t coming into show photography completely green, having worked in a variety of roles for the Shoalhaven’s Albatross Musical Theatre Company.
Still, capturing a show involving some 3000 young performers is a whole other kettle of fish.
“The lighting with shows is different to outside. It’s closer to night photography, but also not, because you’re dealing with bright lights. It’s like trying to photograph things in both shadow and full, bright sunlight at the same time,” he says.
“Also, the subjects are rarely still. Beyond the backstage, nobody is going to stand and pose for your photos. So you’re trying to anticipate their moves … if a dancer is going to jump you want to try and capture them in that fraction of a second when they’re stationary in mid-air, and to frame it well.”
Dennis is far from alone in his job to capture the magic of the Southern Stars spectacle, but part of a team with two or three other photographers from MSP Photography.
Between dress rehearsal and show night sessions the team captures thousands of pictures, which they then curate and edit for the website. It takes hours.
“It’s nothing for me to come away from a single show with 500 shots,” he says.
“Some of the best shots are captured during dress rehearsals when I don’t need to worry about spoiling the audience experience. I don’t want to be the pest with the camera blocking the view.”
With the exception of the show’s brief COVID-induced hiatus, Dennis has photographed the arena spectacular every year since he began in 2004, and is showing no signs of slowing down.
The joys of show photography and the Southern Stars team culture keep him coming back.
“There’s a level of camaraderie. You get to know the players and it becomes a sort of yearly reunion in some ways,” he says.
“Plus, it’s this fantastic thing I get to watch every year. That’s the beauty of show photography; once you get past the technical aspects, some very creative and skilled people are putting on a spectacle in front of you and in that sense it’s easy to get good photos. You’re simply responding to someone else’s creation.”
To be part of the magic in its 25th year, visit Southern Stars – The Arena Spectacular.
