Today, I'm deviating slightly from weddings to show you an image from an engagement shoot I photographed earlier this year. I'm lucky enough to work and live in a wonderful village called Shillingstone, which is in North Dorset in a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Not only that, my studio is based in the beautiful surroundings of Shillingstone House, a stunning manor house in the village which also hosts weddings - and has truly beautiful gardens and views.
When my wedding client wish to hold an engagement shoot, I'm able to offer them the option of a studio shoot or one in the great outdoors - subject to weather, of course! This particular image was taken in the kitchen gardens behind my studio, and towards the end of the engagement shoot for this couple, who went on to marry at Hanford School in Dorset.
I often use engagement shoots to show couples how I'll pose them on the wedding day and to look at their body language and how they 'fit' together in terms of natural posing. Once the 'training' side of the shoot is done, then the couple can start to relax and enjoy just being together, with the minimum of interference and instruction from myself. These are always the best images; the shots which show a couple in love and enjoying the moment. What can be better than that, after all?
Many of the poses on a wedding day for the bride and groom are designed around not only natural body language and making the couple look wonderful, but also showing off their outfits to best effect. When it's an engagement shoot, I'm really interested in expression and enjoyment above all else. That's why I've chosen this lovely image for my Image of the Day, because, it says Love with a capital L.
