When I suggested to Ellen & Andrew that they might like to have their London engagement portraits early on a Sunday morning for great light, they very helpfully agreed. So at 8am today, we met in Hampstead to walk over the heath. They had ridden their bikes there and have been on several cycling holidays in the past, so it was entirely appropriate that the bikes had a role in some of the portraits.
We found an area with lovely backlighting and used the shadows, then walked deeper into the woods for a more lush, green background.
We had an audience for some of our shoot.
But after a short while, they lost interest.
After some more close-up protraits, we went to some quiet grassland overlooking Highgate. Our original plan was to head to Parliament Hill for the last portraits, but we got lost on the way and decided this view was better and possibly quieter anyway.
I’m looking forward to Ellen & Andrew’s August wedding at The National Theatre’s The Deck and then Regent’s College. Another bonus from today was finding out that there are branches of Euphorium Bakery and Le Pain Quotidien just near Hampstead Station and (on advice of Andrew), spotted ANOTHER Euphorium branch at nearby Belsize Park. I’m yet to meet a client who isn’t in tune with yummy bakeries. Managed to resist today but have made plans to return there with a friend who lives in North London.