Introducing Jo & Steve!

Last Sunday I joined them on a sunny Sunday for their pre-wedding meeting at Aston Hall in Sheffield.

Although I’ve photographed at its sister hotel, Woodlands in Leeds, it was the first time I’ve visited Aston Hall.

Spring was still in the air, daffy’s still waving in the breeze and cherry blossom in the trees.

After we’d had a brew, laughed our way through a slew of Anchorman jokes and talked logistics for their big day, we took a turn around the grounds for our practice photoshoot!

These ‘pre-wed’ shoots are not only important for upcoming couples to see how it feels to be in front of my camera, but are also great for me to have a good nosey around venues I’ve never shot at before.

We found all sorts of lovely spots to cuddle in

The shoots show couples that they can enjoy the shoot and mess about a bit (which came easy to these two!)

I love this one!

Steve’s a fireman and told me he and his fire buddies like to play a game called the ‘lowest lean’ when doing fire inspections and meeting the general public.  They’ll discuss a fire extinguisher on the floor for example, while seeing how low they can lean on a wall without getting asked what they’re playing at.  He said that sometimes people they’ve just met ring the station afterwards to see if they were for real…

Brilliant.

I try and make the pre-wed a laugh, so they’re at ease on their big day.  Generally I make the toughest thing about the shoot deciding what to wear!

I was loving Steve’s glasses (not just cos it means I get to be in the pictures too!)

While at Aston I saw that their church was literally located through a gate adjacent to Aston Hall, so the logistics are gonna be easy!

I like this one.  Great expressions and bathed in a lovely warm sunshine

I love these two images together too

I generally supply all my images in colour and black and white, but like to use pre-weds as an opportunity to play with colouring a bit more, like this yellowy split tone

Or this blue split toned image.

Another one where I love Jo & Steve’s expressions.  They’re clearly very happy together.

Another area that caught my eye was a field of tall weeds to the side of the estate, so in we dived.

The field looks so lovely, but the reality was that it was comprised mainly of thistles and nettles!

So all credit to these two for taking a seat and having a smooch!

Aww – that’s a great looking couple right there!

Can’t wait to join them in May!

Watch this space only a few days after their big day for a highlights blog of images from their wedding!

B