NYC:

Sunrise Ballet Photo Workshop with Cortney Taylor Key in Chinatown

First photo of Courtney taken by Theik Smith, second image taken by Dakota Lee and images of Chinatown taken off of Google search results

Hello photographers! I’m so excited offer another photo walk in NYC that is only available during the warmer months: A sunrise ballet photography workshop in Chinatown! This event is for the early risers who don’t mind spending a morning waking up at a crazy early hour to start the event, as we have a 7:00 am start time to avoid the crowds of people and to catch the gorgeous early morning lighting!

Come represent the beauty of iconic Chinatown with an incredible dancer! This natural light photo workshop will teach photographers how to take gorgeous dance photos in a public environment while dealing with varied shooting situations. Test out your improvisation skills and learn to use the backdrops of Chinatown to create a compelling dance image. Open to all skill levels, from beginner up to advanced photographer, with Dakota adapting to the needs of each individual attendee providing in depth instruction for those that are new to dance model photography, and a less hands-on approach to the photographers that mainly want the opportunity to practice their skills with a great model in a cool location. We will have a couple different looks with a traditional ballet look and a more modern look for the dancer.

It’s Events with Dakota’s honor to have ballet dancer Cortney Taylor Key who currently dances for the Ailey School along with founding the Negus Ballerina Project in NYC as our model for this event! Not only is she an incredible dancer, but an experienced model as well! Check out her instagram at @cortneytaylorkey.

When: September 26, 2026 from 6:45-9:30 am. I am asking people to arrive 15 minutes before we start shooting so we can all make introductions and I can go over some details before our firm start time of 7:00 a.m. Meeting at this early also gives people the chance to account for traffic and parking variables.

Where: We meet at a specific spot given only to attendees. Parking is, of course, quite difficult and it recommended to take the train in or find a nearby parking garage.

Equipment needed: Just your camera and lenses. Definitely bring a longer lens because of the distance we will be getting from the subject at times. Feel free to bring a wider angle lens or a zoom that can go wider angle, but it is recommended to bring a longer lens as an option. DO NOT bring strobes or a tripod.

Cost: $185.00 for the two and a half hour workshop which includes all workshop and modeling fees. To pay via this website, there is a $12.00 service charge. Pay via this website HERE (click link). To avoid the service fee, you are welcome to pay via Venmo, Cashapp, or Zelle form- please reach out to Dakota at msdakotalee@gmail.com to pay via the three latter payment options, each ID on the platforms are different so email first to get the proper information. There is a maximum attendance of 6 photographers allowed, so reserve your spot soon before the event sells out, which it usually does quickly!