In fact I haven’t been this excited about the blog since… well, I can’t remember. I’ve been a part of lots of exciting brand campaigns like the L’Oreal hair ad and being used everywhere in Specsavers ads (I’m being spotted on billboards and bus stops a lot at the moment!), but in terms of doing something that’s all me, no brand involvement at all, this HAS to be the most exciting.
I mentioned a new collaboration: one between me and a professional photographer. I included one sneak peek image in my last post, and it seems quite a few of you think it’s as amazing as I think it is.
Gird your fashion photography loins… here’s the first shoot between me and my new ‘Instagram husband’, Giles Caldicott.
[Reading time: 5 mins]
Bear with me if you already read this [repeated] explanation in the last post, you can skip to the end of this section and continue reading after the next image if you wish.
To explain…
For a while I’d lost my mojo in terms of shooting outfits, and as it was the thing that started my love of blogging I was itching to get back to it. Unfortunately, outfit shoots were eating into our weekends; I always felt guilty asking Keith to dedicate a chunk of his weekend to taking my blog photos. It became a chore in the end, especially when the weather didn’t play ball and we had other things to get on with – it was all just too much pressure.
So last year, once I worked out a way to take my own photos with a tripod, I felt a little more in control again and I wasn’t bothering Keith or spending our weekends “working”. However, I can’t stray too far from home with a large tripod and no car on a weekday, and photos in the driveway get a little staid after a while.
Then earlier this year, I was chatting to Giles, a very old and dear friend from my art college days. He, too, had lost his own mojo in terms of doing the photography we’d both studied. We were discussing how life had changed for both of us in so many ways, and I was saddened to find out that he’d practically hung up his camera for good.
His photography was GOOD. I mean really, REALLY good.
He’d worked far further down the road of fashion/portrait/event photographer than I ever had, so he knew a lot more about being an actual professional photographer than me.
Light bulb moment: I’m always needing photos, Giles needed to get back into photography – it was a no brainer. We made a date to meet up (once restrictions on that ended) and shot some outfit photos together.
We’ve done two shoots together so far, and we’re planning to do more.
What we want to do is to produce some fantastic fashion shots JUST FOR THE SHEER SAKE OF BEING CREATIVE.
I have a ton of clothes, shoes and accessories and I’m always wanting to play dress up. Giles knows what he’s doing behind the camera and needs new images for his website to relaunch his professional photography career. As I said, a no brainer.
Giles (and this makes him laugh) is my new ‘Instagram husband’.
If you hadn’t heard the term before, an Instagram husband is someone who is roped into taking someone’s photos for their Instagram… it’s quite often a boyfriend or husband (usually due to circumstance and/or convenience), but they can be any gender or relationship to them. Thankfully I’ve found someone who actually thrives on this stuff… no shade on Keith’s skills – he’s been amazing – but it’s from my POV really. I feel like I can stop hassling Keith to take my outfit photos and give him a full weekend back.
And I can stop being slightly uninspired by having to take my own photos with a tripod on my driveway.
I always knew Giles was a gifted photographer – but until he showed me his full body of work from the last 25 years or so I hadn’t realised JUST how gifted. Having known each other for 30 years(!) it was pretty easy to get over the awkwardness of having someone new take your photos.
I’ve done enough photo shoots with professional photographers in both location and studio settings to know that some are easier to work with than others. I mean this in the sense of them being able to put you at ease and direct you easily.
We found this easy.
This location [in London] was an absolute gem of a find – Giles knows his way round the streets of the city and due to his experience knows SO many great places to shoot. This location, with its boarded-up door and dirty steps and railings, was a perfect contrast to the black lace and tulle skirt (last seen as part of my second UK Blog Awards outfit).
Funny story: we first went to shoot this in Chelsea, in the Duke of York Square just off the King’s Road. On a busy Wednesday afternoon.
YES I drew stares.
YES I drew stares in this massive tulle skirt, even in London where you can usually wear anything and no one cares.
The location just didn’t work, so we moved on… and later he thought of this street. Quiet and perfect for shooting such a crazy outfit.
He’s captured the softness of the tulle contrasted with the black lace and heavy boots to perfection, and I adore how the tulle is cascading down the steps like a sea of soft fabric. That lead image – where he’s pulled back and included the whole of the old boarded-up door – gets me in the feels every time.
I have more crazy outfits planned, the second set of images we shot will be published in August, and hopefully we’ll have more stunning fashion images to show you soon (we’re both so excited about the collaboration and it’s 100% got our creative juices flowing again). We have a great location in our sights for a planned trip at the end of August, I reckon the photos there will be EPIC.
So I’m urging you to visit his new site gilescaldicott.com (under ‘Gallery’ you’ll find sections for Portraiture, Sports, Travel and Events, though Events is yet to be populated fully so bear with us).
You can follow Giles on Instagram @gilescaldicott.
All follows will be greatly appreciated, and you never know – you may see me pop up on his grid every now and then.
But of course I simply HAD to include some of my favourites from his body of work, so keep scrolling and you’ll see just how amazing his work is.
Stay safe, XOXO
Top: H&M (years old, similar)
Skirt: Asos (similar / similar / similar / similar in sage green)
Boots: Asos (similar)
Sunglasses: Warehouse (love these)
Necklaces: Old, unknown (I like these and these)
Ring: Old, unknown (love this one)
“Jim” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
“Charlotte” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
“Lena” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
“Rock climbing” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
“Mount Bromo, Java” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
“Drew” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
“Snowboarder” by Giles Caldicott
@gilescaldicott
P.S. If you want to book Giles to take photos for an event or fashion/portrait shoots – he works in London and the South/South East of England… please don’t hesitate to get in touch with him, his details are on his contact page. I could bleat on and on about how you won’t regret it, but I think his images speak for themselves…!
Linking up to… Monday: Stylish Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Ageless Style Linkup (first Monday of the month), My Glittery Heart, On Mondays We Link Up || Tuesday: Style With a Smile, Trend Spin/Walking in Memphis in High Heels, Turning Heads Tuesday, Spread the Kindness, Confident Twosday, Happy Now Blog Link Up || Wednesday: Style Me Wednesday, WowOnWednesday || Thursday: Chic & Stylish || Friday: Neverending Style, Fancy Friday, On the Edge, Fabulous Friday, Fabulous Friday’s Link Up
I may be lamenting the end of our glorious summer, but I'm excited about my…
A few weeks ago I brought you my can't-live-without purchases and promised my top health…
How many articles have you read that encourage you to have a closet clearout/wardrobe refresh…
Everyone loves a compliment, amirite? (Well maybe not everyone, I think half the British population…
In my Things I'm Loving This Month I have nuggets of wisdom Wes Anderson style,…
Here we are, my 13th blog anniversary (blogiversary) post, and it's all a bit of…