This shot came about in a way by chance. One of the things I like to do on a planned shoot is to try different ideas around the theme I have in my head. By doing this, the model also gets involved and can provide their ideas and thoughts as well. It becomes a collaboration with both of us trying to get the best we can from the set. I prefer the idea to be ‘loose’ and then develop on it when on location as all sorts of emotions and inspiration can flow from us both.
Tinks came up with the brilliant idea to wear this wedding dress. I knew her style and look would suit the plan and for me, the dress was the icing on the cake. I had no idea what the field around my ‘target’ tree was going to look like as I hadn’t visited it for about two years. We got to it by walking through a barely visible footpath with huge sweetcorn plants towering above us. We hacked our way through and then the sweetcorn anded and opened up to a freshly harvested corn field with my tree stood right in the middle of it.
We tried several different approaches to the whole set, including framing with the whole tall tree (but Tinks was too small in the frame), laying at the foot of the tree (but it was tough to make the scene ‘work’ properly). I settled on this shot after playing with the various pics in post and am delighted with it. Well…about as delighted as you can be about a suicide photograph.
It’s dark, it’s deep and it’s not pretty to look at. It is inspired by the Dido song, Isobel.
Squash Imagery 