LADRAM BAY, SIDMOUTH, EAST DEVON, ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS, DANIELLE & NATHAN
I hope you enjoy this beautiful engagement shoot at Ladram Bay, Sidmouth, with Danielle & Nathan.
Kind Words
“I would highly recommend Helen for any photography needs. Helen did a competition for an engagement shoot which my fiancé and I were over the moon to win! We don’t have many photos together so this was an ideal opportunity to get some cracking photos. And Helen REALLY meant business- she had all the tips and tricks of the trade on how to look good in a photo, and made both of us super relaxed. My partner hates being in front of the camera but after a couple minutes with Helen he was at complete ease. I originally wanted a ‘golden hour’ photo (not sure who I was kidding beginning of March in Devon) however Helen did her upmost to warm the photos using fairy lights which created an awesome effect and used the red stone and a back light to create a sunset silhouette effect. But also managed to capture the location and got some really great shots considering the wind was causing a lot of hair issues!
If we weren’t using our friend for a photographer for our wedding I would have 100% snapped Helen up for the big day! (Is it bad I’m slightly hoping our friend pulls out soon JUST so we can have Helen?)
Helen- you’re the best, thank you so much! The pictures are amazing! We really hope to be able to work with you again in the future – stay in touch! Danielle and Nathan xxx”
Engagement photography is one of my favourite forms of photography as it allows the couple and myself the chance to get to know one another prior to the wedding, in a relaxed and carefree way (see my article on Engagement photography tips to find out more).
Danielle and Nathan’s engagement photo shoot took place just before lockdown but the fact that I had lost my voice also made communication pretty difficult. I always like to chat with my couples prior to their shoots, it allows me to really drill down what is important to them. Danielle and Nathan said that Sidmouth, and it’s surrounding area, was important to them and played a significant part in their courtship, so together we decided that Sidmouth was the place for the engagement photos.
The best time of day for engagement photography is sunset, so we arranged to meet late afternoon so that we would be able to get those all important sunset photos. Danielle had already sent me a mood board (see my article on How to create a mood board) so I had a good idea of the type of engagement photographs they both were looking for.
We arrived on Sidmouth beach front, but it was heaving with people, so with the consent of Danielle and Nathan and having already done some homework, I suggested we take the engagement photo shoot to Ladram Bay a potential alternative to Sidmouth itself. They were more than happy with this suggestion so we made are way there.
Ladram Bay is very impressive, but it was a very, very windy day! We went to the top of the hill and got a perfect view of the roaring sea and rock formations below.
I always start my engagement sessions by helping the couple to feel at ease with the camera. It can be quite an odd sensation having a camera pointed at you, and can take some time for couples to relax and begin to enjoy themselves. To help them I always talk them through some simple posing steps. Not only does this help with the photos for their engagement shoot, but also dramatically helps when we come to the wedding itself. So I started to talk them through the poses, the windy conditions along with little voice meant that I was reduced to relying on sign language which created much hilarity throughout the shoot.
As a wedding photographer my aim is to tell the story of the day, whatever the weather, so after the engagement shoot I took time to photograph the landscape, as all of this goes towards telling the story of Danielle and Nathan’s day.
Congratulations guys. Thank you for your kind words and a wonderful day.
About Helen Chapman Photography
My philosophy:
“To provide excellence by placing YOU, Your dreams, Your wants, Your needs in the heart of everything I do”.
“To create beautifully, naturally, authentic, fun, romantic heirloom photography, that YOU are guaranteed to love and that will be cherished by future generations to come”.
“To provide YOU with a truly exceptional service through following my core beliefs of honesty, fairness, integrity, determination and creativity.”
I have been helping couples plan their weddings in the stunning natural landscape of the Devon countryside, rugged moorland of Dartmoor and spectacular seascape of the coastline of Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall for years and I’m using that experience and relationship with a great network of wedding vendors to help you plan your special wedding day. Why not take a look at my Client resources pages & Check my availability for your wedding and book a call today.
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