Lifestyle shoot in Rochester, kent

Welcome to my blog if you are new here and welcome back if you have been following my life as a photographer through my blogs. I have so much news!

Having decided to make things more manageable by blogging once a month, I have been putting off putting pen to paper - fingers to keyboard - for some time, simply because I have so much news. When my mind is overwhelmed with excitement and busyness, procrastination kicks in and I distract myself with all manner of things, mainly with creating art and posting on social media. (Does ridiculously long hours spent on social media count as addiction when it is work related?)

Here’s how I cope. I break tasks down into smaller chunks. That way I will stop worrying about having to do multiple posts and just get on with this one.

What can I say about my recent lifestle shoot. I am delighted at how it went - as are the clients, the wonderfully youthful, energised and still madly in love Christina and Chris Wells. They wrote me a heartfelt testimonial which you will find at the bottom of this post. But first let me tell you a little about the where’s and when’s.

Following a pre-shoot chat with Christina, we decided we would like an outdoor shoot at The Vines, a beautiful tree lined walkway in historic Rochester in Kent. The Vines is a popular gathering space for people of all ages and families and at this time of year is resplendent in autumn colours and playful piles of leaves. I had a studio booked for indoor shots for more formal pictures and of course it would be necessary if it rained.

We were lucky with the weather and met up around lunch time as the sun was shining. I had advised on wardrobe, ‘Wear clothing to match the autumn colours’ was my suggestion. They came wearing the perfect ensemble and both looked stunning in their seasonal wardrobe. They had a thing about the boots they were wearing - I didn’t ask - it was a personal touch and I loved the idea that it was something special to them.

Let’s get into the details …

I arrived early to do a quick recce and made some decisions on a bench I’d like Christana and Chris to sit on and the direction to face when walking away from and toward the camera (based on the leaves across the path). They arrived on time and with a quick introduction I took them to the bench and started straight away taking photos to ‘warm up my eye’. They relaxed straight into the mood and I moved around them capturing those natural moments, which is what I love to do.

The fun …

What went on to make the experience extra special was the collaboration that took place during the shoot, with Christina and Chris bringing their ideas to me so I could incorporate their wishes and apply my artistic ‘eye’ to various locations and activities. I particularly loved that they wanted to throw leaves at each other, something that was in the back of my mind. I also appreciated Christina’s suggestion of standing in front of a particular tree, a radiant redwood. I wonder if she realised how fantastic her outfit and hair colour blended with bark.

The romance …

I could go on and on but with let me finish on a note of affection and romance. They were both still very much in love and I captured that in bucketfuls. All in all it was a hugely successful shoot for me as a first lifestyle shoot experience. And now the best way for you to share in that is by looking at the pictures. You can view them on the client gallery here Online Client Gallery