Normally we do pre-wedding shoots somewhere near the studio, just outside Northampton. We do the photographs in the morning, then while the clients have a leisurely lunch Lola will edit the images. The couple come back mid afternoon to view their images and choose any they would like to buy.

We’re always open to new ideas though and when Helen suggested we do their shoot on London’s South Bank I jumped at the idea. We did the shoot one evening and Helen and Doug came to the studio a few days later to see their pictures.

This kind of shoot really gets the creative juices flowing, especially as I already knew that Helen and Doug would love a set of edgy pictures with a twist. So armed with my portable lighting kit we set about making some cool pictures. We started at the skate park near the National Theatre and then walked half a mile or so down the embankment. Stopping off at the London Eye where a super zealous security guard moved us on (but not before we’d grabbed the funky picture with the Eye in the background you see below). Finally the setting sun gave us a chance to do a fab shadow shot before we headed off for a bite to eat. Great shoot, lovely couple. Hope you like the images.

Carly and Nicolas live in the south of France so their pre-wedding shoot was the first time that we’d met.  They are a lovely couple, relaxed and obviously delightfully happy in each others company. It was a joy to spend some time with them having fun taking their photographs. Carly and Nicolas get married later this year at Coltsfoot Country Retreat, one of our favourite venues.  We can’t wait!

Thank goodness weather forecasts aren’t always right. On the day of Ruth and Mark’s engagement photo shoot it was supposed to rain heavily all day. As it transpired, apart from a brief shower, it stayed dry until after the shoot was over. I don’t mind photographing in the rain – it’s a fact of life for a UK wedding photographer – but I was happy it stayed away.

As well as being a good looking couple Ruth and Mark were also great fun to be around. That’s usually a recipe for fab pictures and so it turned out. Here’s just a selection of favourites from the shoot.