Orchardleigh - a gorgeous wedding venue near Frome profiled by a Somerset photographer
Hidden away a couple of miles north of Frome is Orchardleigh Estate, with an amazing array of facilities including a church on an island, a helipad, a golf course and the stunning Orchardleigh House, built in the 1850's, and now used as a wedding venue for hire.
Orchardleigh House, Frome, viewed from the south east. Picture by Beata Cosgrove Photography
The main house is hidden away, well off the main road, so you could easily drive past without even realising it's there at all. But when you get in and go down the long winding driveway across the estate (now converted into a golf course) you realise you're in very grand surroundings indeed. The driveway brings you to the north of the house, with its pointed towers being reminiscent of the Scotch Baronial architectural style. The whole house is available for the use of wedding guests, with indoor banqueting for up to 160.
Main approach to Orchardleigh House from the north. Picture by Beata Cosgrove Photography
Standing on the terrace on the south side of the house, you look down over elegant, carefully manicured lawns and towards the lake. You can just make it the lake in the photo below - it's just beyond the cows! If you have to look hard to see it, well that just gives you some idea of the scale of the place!
View towards Orchardleigh Lake, showing the balustrade, a favourite romantic spot for wedding shots of the bride and groom. Picture by Beata Cosgrove Photography
Tucked away behind a clump of trees over on the right, is St Mary's Church, and although you can't really tell from the pictures, the church is actually on its very own island, as you can see here from Google maps. Lots of people dream of being whisked off to a romantic island for their wedding - well, who knew, you can do it right here in Somerset!
The Church of St Mary, on a little island on the Orchardleigh Lake. Picture by Beata Cosgrove Photography
All in all, Orchardleigh is a stunning, romantic location for a truly memorable wedding, and if you're interested, you can browse more of my photographs of Orchardleigh here.
Orchardleigh House, wedding venue in Somerset. Image by Beata Cosgrove Photography
Weddings at the Temple of Minerva in Bath
Elegant Garden Weddings at the Temple of Minerva in Bath – A Hidden Gem Within the Botanical Gardens
I'd like to share some images from a few lovely weddings I photographed at the Temple of Minerva, located in Bath's Royal Victoria Park—one of the city's beautiful Heritage Park venues.
Enjoying a moment together on their wedding day at the Botanical Gardens in Bath.
Military Wedding at the Temple of Minerva in Bath – A Beautiful Blend of Tradition and Romance
The bride's father and sons clearly felt it was time to get started!
Here's the happy couple after ceremony, in the ever-colourful Botanical Gardens.
Whether you're planning an intimate celebration or a larger wedding day, please do get in touch to enquire about my availability and wedding photography packages. You can also read another blog post about wedding photography in Royal Victoria Park, explore my weddings gallery, or browse my collection of wedding venues in the Bath area.
Wedding venue photographed by Beata Cosgrove Wedding Photographer
Just outside Corsham (between Bath and Chippenham) is Hartham Park, a fine Georgian structure which is now an event and wedding venue.
Picture taken by Beata Cosgrove Photography
It's set in acres of glorious parkland, and is a fine example of an English stately home.
Picture taken by Beata Cosgrove Photography
The beautifully manicured grass is perfect for group wedding shots, with leading lines drawing the eye in towards the building!
Picture taken by Beata Cosgrove Photography
Handsome trees in the stunning landscaped gardens along with the house itself would provide a fine backdrop for group shots at an event or wedding.
Using props to enhance portrait photography
When I am taking someone's portrait, one of the first things I need to do is put the subject at ease, A great way to do this is through the use of props. A prop is essentially anything that appears in a portrait alongside the human subject, and a whole range of things can be used as props, as you'll see in this blog post. A carefully chosen prop can enhance the photo as a composition, and it can also help to tell the story about who the person in the photo really is.
The first example I'd like to show you is this lady who designs and makes wonderful colourful hats. Everything she makes is produced by hand, and so in this shot I have actually placed two additional hats over her hands to accentuate the connection between her hands and her creations.
The couple in the next picture (below) were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary when they came to my studio for a shoot. They brought along framed black and white portraits taken on their wedding day 60 years before, which I photographed them with, underlining the link between then and now, and sixty years of happily married life in between.
From a wedding anniversary to a pre-wedding shoot at the venue, and I couldn't resist positioning this couple in front of a sign saying 'Keep off the grass'. It provides a bit of cheeky humour which I like.
And now an actual wedding. You'd never guess it, but the couple (and many of their guests) are keen cyclists, and had the lovely idea of walking through a tunnel of bike wheels held aloft as they braved the confetti shower.
An unusual viewpoint can make a photo really attention-grabbing, but in the picture below, the balls make clear that a game of boules has just finished.
Enhancing portrait photographs with coloured background papers
Most of us live and work in spaces which are full of stuff - homes have radiators, windows, bookshelves and so on, while our workspaces are full of desks, windows, files, photocopiers and the like. While all of these things are invaluable in their own way, none of them is likely to enhance a photo in which they feature.
It's for this reason that professional photographers are fond of using backdrops - coloured rolls of vinyl or paper which are suspended behind the subject, giving an uncluttered monochrome background. Here's an example with a vibrant marigold coloured backdrop.
The clear background serves to make the subject more prominent and focus our attention on the face. It's for this reason that firms tend to go for this kind of set-up when getting headshots of their staff, with many feeling that a sombre neutral colour such as grey creates the right kind of professional feel for corporate portraiture.
Many of my customers opt for this kind of background paper when getting a photo taken for their LinkedIn profile. Others opt for more vibrant colour, making for an attention-grabbing and very Instagrammable look, such as this sky blue:
Damson seems to work well as the colour of love, as shown by this couple who I photographed on their wedding day:
It's important to consider the clothes a subject is wearing at a photo shoot, and I often suggest that my customers bring a few alternative outfits, to ensure a wide range of picture types from a one-hour session. It can be effective and eye-catching to have outfits and backdrops that contrast strongly with each other:
For a different effect, I also like to achieve the harmonious look when similarly coloured clothes and backgrounds almost blend in to each other, such as this couple, who I photographed on their wedding anniversary:
I rather like the way the couple's clothes almost replicate the hue and tone of the backdrop, with the man's suit slightly darker than his wife's dress.
Stronger colours of clothing and backdrop can also mirror each other with striking effect:
Here, the similarity between scarf, sweater, lipstick and backdrop complement each other, and help to focus attention on the lady's gaze and smiling eyes.
Green provides a compromise between some of the brighter colours (maroon, marigold and blue) and the more neutral shades of grey.
Patterned backgrounds can work too, such as wallpaper, or, as in this case, an old modesty screen:
As you'll realise having read through this blog, I have a wide range of photographic background papers. They're 2.7 metres wide, and so work for small groups and families, as well as individuals and couples. If you'd like to enquire about arranging a photography portrait session at my studio in Bear Flat in Bath, or if you'd like me to travel to your home or workplace (all the equipment is portable), then do please get in touch.
And if you've enjoyed reading this blog, I'd be delighted if you could like or share it, or if you'd like to leave a comment.
