#157: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Corey Haynes, Texas-based writer and visual artist working primarily in photography and mixed media, to explore movement, memory, authenticity, and the role photography plays in documenting creative communities.
Corey shares her journey from photographing friends and everyday life to finding her artistic home in dance photography. She reflects on how years of collaborating with artists and organizations across North Texas have shaped an approach rooted in trust, curiosity, and capturing what is actually happening rather than constructing the "perfect" image.
The conversation explores what makes movement photography feel alive, why Corey gravitates toward improvisation and unposed moments, and how dancers can work more intentionally with photographers to communicate their stories. Corey also shares practical advice for choosing a photographer, preparing for a shoot, understanding pricing, and creating images that support portfolios, performances, marketing, and grant applications.
Corey and Martheya also dig into authenticity in the age of social media, discussing the pressure artists face to create polished content, the importance of understanding your "why," and why storytelling and genuine human connection can be more powerful than perfection.
Finally, Corey reflects on curiosity, experimentation, and play as essential creative practices and introduces her ongoing project, We've Come All This Way, which celebrates dancers over 50 while exploring aging, body image, movement, and our changing relationships with ourselves.
Chapters
00:00 Meet Corey Haynes + Flash Four
01:30 Libraries as a Creative Resource
02:30 Photography + the Power of Storytelling
03:30 Social Media + Building an Audience
04:00 Long-Form Visual Storytelling
06:00 Finding Storytelling Through the Camera
08:00 Finding Dance Photography
09:00 Documenting North Texas Creative Communities
11:00 From Event Photographer to Creative Collaborator
12:30 Capturing Movement in a Moment
14:00 Authenticity in Dance Photography
18:00 Authenticity + Social Media
20:00 Developing a Recognizable Photography Style
23:00 Imperfection + the Human Experience
25:00 Preparing for a Dance Photo Shoot
27:00 Communication + Creative Collaboration
29:00 How to Choose the Right Photographer
31:00 Valuing Creative Labor + Photography Rates
35:00 Behind the Scenes + Creative Process
37:30 Building an Authentic Creative Brand
40:00 Being of Service Through Art
41:00 Saying NO to the BOX Through Curiosity
44:00 Eight Years of Creative Collaboration
45:00 We've Come All This Way
47:00 Celebrating Dancers Over 50
48:00 Connect with Corey
To watch the show click HERE.
Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home
This season of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is supported in part by the Moody Fund for the Arts and our generous individual Season Sponsors, Dexter & Jenel Evans and Helen & James Gallas.
Say NO to the BOX and YES to the future of dance.
