A woman in a white dress stands on a quaint wooden bridge over a river during twilight, surrounded by lush greenery and wildflowers, creating a serene and picturesque scene.

ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY AT TIVERTON GRAND CANAL.

Engagement shoots are one my favourite forms of photography. They are usually the first real contact I have with a couple, other than a conversation over the telephone about their wedding, but I consider them an essential element in the getting to know them process.

A few weeks ago I conducted an engagement shoot with a lovely couple, Rebecca and Ben, at Tiverton’s Grand Canal. Now, I am ashamed to say that even though I am born and bread in Devon, the Tiverton Canal is one place I had never visited until now.  I always suggest to couples that the venue for their engagement shoot has special meaning to them as a couple, where they first went on a date, first kiss etc. This will allow the engagement shoot to be more meaningful to them as it documents their time together in a place they love and this was certainly the case for Ben and Rebecca.

I arrived at the canal, met Ben and Rebecca and we started to make our way along the tow path. I always like to try and do my shoots in the golden hour, the hour when the light is just perfect and you get a beautiful sunset, this night did not disappoint. When I researched the Tiverton Canal prior to the shoot I had spotted a bridge, I always research a location either in person or via the net as I find it a great source of inspiration, so with the bridge as my goal we headed up the canal path.  However, what the photos on the net had not told me was that the bridge had a curved edge. My idea had been, if it was safe, to place Ben and Rebecca on the bridge wall and have the sunset behind them to create a silhouette. That was now not possible as it would have been unsafe so I had to rethink.  Standing on the bridge I reviewed my choices. The hedgerow came up to their chests, so a clean silhouette was now out of the question, so  I turned Ben and Rebecca away from the sunset, so that the beautiful  light was on their faces, found a frame where the blue sky was behind them and got the pictures below.

Then it was time to take the couple to the river below where I managed to capture some lovely candid momements.

As we walked back towards the car with the sun dipping further towards the horizon I spotted a tiny space where Ben and Rebecca could sit down. This space was right by the canal edge and I wanted to get the light on their faces as well as use the surrounding foliage to frame them. It has to be said that I was not quite sure I was standing on firm ground when I ventured into the reeds, but thankfully the ground held and I did not end up in the canal.

The sun had now virtually gone, but I was hoping that we may just be able to get the last rays of the sunset upon our return to the cars, but it was not to be. Instead I got those beautiful cotton candy colours as the night edged into the blue hour.  Breaking out the flash, I placed my couple on the bridge and together we got the photos below which Ben and Rebecca loved.

Congratulations guys