Pre Wedding Couple Shoot with Sam & Howie
Sam and Howie met 3 years ago and are getting married next year at Double Locks in Exeter. We met up for a pre-wedding couple shoot at the beautiful Devonshire location of Bellever!
Woods, Rivers and Lovers
I myself had been here once before with friends and Howie had also visited in the past. It’s such a great place for a couple’s photo shoot – tall trees, rocks, tree logs next to a winding river – it’s just stunning! Sometimes if you’re really lucky, the sun pours through the trees and bathes the little glade in a golden light. This didn’t happen for us this time but we still got some amazing shots. The landscape speaks for itself. Dartmoor was perfect!
Arranging the Shoot
When we arranged our shoot, I suggested that it was semi-styled and a folky dress code. Giving ideas before a shoot can be great for everyone involved and it means that there won’t be any clashing colours on the day and nobody will be disappointed with the photos. I find that neutral, earthy tones work the best for portraits involving landscapes but that’s a personal preference. Sam wore a floaty bohemian dress with a leather jacket and Howie wore the shoes he will wear on his actual wedding day!
Bellever is amazing and there are so many different areas that provide different backdrops, so we parked up and headed through the woods, took a walk down to the riverside and then back into more open ground. We wanted to make the most of this place and I alternated between capturing the lovebirds small in the landscape and also their intimacy up close. I love variety in shots and wanted to provide them with a gallery that told a story of their mini-adventure.
A particularly special engagement ring
I love taking shots of the engagement rings with the couple’s hands falling naturally in a position of unity, but Howie’s is particularly special as it was his grandad’s and will be engraved before the big day.
