Capturing Movement, Memory + Authenticity: Corey Haynes

#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.