Greer’s Family Photo Shoot
Last summer I had the pleasure of photographing Greer and her family at Frogmill BnB in Tedburn St Mary, Devon. Frogmill is a beautiful 17th Century thatched cottage nestled within 10 acres of stunning gardens, a perfect location for a relaxed family photoshoot.
Here are a selection of photos from the shoot…
Jodie and Ian, Orestone Manor
Jodie and Ian married at Orestone Manor in Torquay last summer and as soon as I met them a few weeks before I knew their wedding was going to be fun and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
There were plenty of laughs as Jodie prepared for her special day with her parents and bridesmaids, meanwhile down the hallway the groomsmen calmed their nerves with some pre-wedding shots! Jodie wore a beautiful lace gown and her bridemaids looked pretty in dusty pink dresses. The bridal party were treated to jewellery and cufflinks by local contemporary jewellery designers One and Eight
Orestone Manor is an intimate venue nestled in the rolling Devon hills just outside Torquay, with stunning grounds and the most amazing food ( I recommend the pork belly!)
Thanks Jodie and Ian for inviting me to share your special day with you x
Georgie and Craig – Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe, Devon
When Georgie contacted me nearly 2 years ago saying “I’ve just seen you on Rock My Wedding and love your photos, they are beautiful” I just KNEW that I wanted to photograph her wedding day (and I did a little happy dance!) When I found out she was getting married at Tunnels Beaches in Ilfracombe, Devon I did a massive, crazy happy dance!
Georgie and Craig met at a gig and both share a love for live music, travel and Devon. Their wedding day was as amazingly beautiful as I had hoped; stunning sea views, mis-matched sparkly bridesmaids dresses and the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted. Guests relaxed in deckchairs and were treated to a BBQ, ice creams and a selection of homemade cakes.
Their wedding reflected their laidback personalities and was an absolute pleasure to photograph. Thanks again Georgie and Craig for choosing me to photograph your special day xxx
Arlo’s new born shoot
A couple of weeks ago I spent the afternoon with Abbie, Aurin and their adorable baby boy Arlo in their home in Brixham. Here are a few of my favourites from the shoot, including their gorgeous Spaniel Jenson who totally loved having his photo taken! x
Hannah and Jared’s Wedding at Shilstone House, Devon
My first wedding of 2016 was Hannah and Jared’s at Shilstone House in Devon. I was really looking forward to this wedding for two reasons; firstly because it was my first of the 2016 wedding season and I couldn’t wait to get snapping again after the winter break, and secondly because I went to school with Hannah and many of the guests were old school friends whom I hadn’t seen for 15 years! (giving away my age there!)
Hannah and Jared chose the beautiful Shilstone House in Modbury as their wedding venue. Their ceremony took place in a lovely light filled barn, followed by drinks and canapes in the grand house. Finally guests made their way over to the marquee for a hog roast followed by a traditional Devonshire cream tea (jam or cream first? I can never remember!)
Hannah and Jared booked Plymouth based band The Sound (who were awesome- I highly recommend them!) as the evenings entertainment.
An amazing day for a truly lovely couple. Thank you so much for inviting me to share your special day x
Getting married in Devon? Get in touch here
Irena’s family photo shoot at Bantham Beach
I used to visit Bantham beach as a child and I have vague memories of rolling sand dunes and surfers. I was reminded of how beautiful the beach is when I visited for Irena’s family shoot late last summer. The picturesque landscape and clear turquoise water made it a perfect location for a shoot and even though it was a busy summer’s afternoon we still managed to find some quiet areas to give the images an intimate feel.
Irena wanted her shoot to have a relaxed feel to it and for me to capture herself and her children naturally, enjoying time as a family by the sea.
Thank you Irena for inviting me to spend time with you and your beautiful children. I have since been back to this beach several times this summer with my twins- they love it! A great place for a family photo shoot! x
Fancy your own family photo shoot at a location of your choice? Get in touch here
Thanks x
Clare and Mark; Hare and Hounds Wedding, Westonbirt
Today I’m taking you back to a sunny day in late August. It had rained all week and many places in the UK were still experiencing rain and thunder storms on the Saturday of Clare and Mark’s wedding. So it was an absolute blessing that the sun shone all day long for Clare and Mark, enabling them and their guests to enjoy the beautiful gardens of the Hare and Hounds Hotel in Westonbirt. “This is exactly as I imagined it” said Clare as she looked out at her family and friends enjoying cocktails and playing lawn games.
Clare and Mark chose a powder blue colour theme for their special day with Clare’s bridesmaids wearing spotty knee length dresses to compliment Clare’s simple yet elegant bouquet. The deckchairs scattered around the lawns enabled guests to relax and watch the game of cricket that Mark and his groomsmen enjoyed before the dancing began!
Becky and Ben’s Beautiful Teepee Wedding
Becky and Ben married on a hot sunny day back in July. Their ceremony took place in All Saints church in Brixham, followed by a relaxed teepee reception held in Becky’s parents’ garden. Becky wore a stunning gown by Anna Cambell and her hair was braided into a fishtail plait creating a stunning bohemian look.
The bride and groom chose a secluded cliff side location in Berry Head Country park to have their portraits, followed by a relaxed meal and plenty of dancing to The Shrine Band.
Becky and Ben included loads of cute little personal details as seen in the photos below. Enjoy!
Thanks to Josh from Iska Media for second shooting 🙂
Preparing for a New born Photo Shoot
You spend months preparing for the arrival of your little one. Choosing a pram, furniture for the nursery, deciding which of the million suggested buys you actually need and which you can do without. You speak to other parents for advice, read books, read more books, wash all the baby grows and muslins, pack your hospital bag, stock up on nappies and wipes…… the list goes on and on. Having the baby is the easy part! So when that moment finally arrives, and you bring your precious little baby (or babies in my case) home it is such an amazing time (if a little over whelming too!). You spend hours upon hours just staring at their little screwed up faces, their legs still curled up to their tummies as they were inside your tummy and their tiny little fingers and toes, taking in every single breathe. You want the time to be as calming as possible for you and your baby, but more often than not you have family and friends queuing up to visit, health visitors popping around and a mountain of washing to do! Which is why my aim as your photographer is to keep things as stress free as possible for you.
I absolutely love new born shoots. There is something about a peaceful sleeping baby that I find so calming and capturing the special bond between baby and parents is such an amazing feeling. My style of photography is very relaxed; in your own home with lots of natural light and baby’s familiar surroundings and smells so that they remain peaceful and content.
If you have booked a new born shoot with me here are my top 5 tips for preparing for your shoot:
1) Feed baby! A baby who has recently had a feed and is full up is more likely to sleep throughout the shoot. If you are breast feeding then feel free to do this as and when needed. Capturing the closeness between mum and baby during a feed makes a beautiful image (if you are happy and comfortable with doing so)
2) Clothes: Keep colours neutral and have a couple of outfit options for your baby but keep things simple; nothing too bright or with distracting patterns. Just a clean white baby grow can look beautiful. It’s also a good idea to have something foot-less so that I can photograph those tiny toes. For your outfit- wear something comfortable and neutral. A simple vest top can look lovely as it allows skin to skin with baby on mums shoulder. In terms of hair/ makeup I think that natural always looks best for these shoots and lets be honest, saves a lot of time too!
3) Have a few blankets to hand as they make great props and can also be used as a backdrop to lay baby on. Also little teddies/ cuddly toys can look cute. I love capturing details too such as the nursery, any keepsakes/ cards that you have been given so have these to hand.
4) Involve dad and other siblings. This shoot isn’t just about the baby but about you all as a family.
5) Relax. Do not spend hours tidying beforehand. I don’t care if you have piles of washing/ ironing/ dishes in the kitchen. All I care about is creating beautiful images with you and baby and to do this I ideally need a bright room with natural light, that is all!
I hope my tips have helped you! Please feel free to leave a comment below or get in touch here if you would like to book your own shoot.
Renata x