Farmers Image Of The Week #336

by | Sep 2, 2020 | Farmers Photo of the Week, The Blog

Sony A7III | Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 | f1.6 | 1/500 | ISO 320

PRESET – Rebecca Carpenter Preset ‘Stay Golden’

Blimey, it’s September! On the one hand, I’m happy, it feels like turning a new page – or maybe it’s even more than that, like opening a fresh new notebook. But on the other hand I am sad that the summer is coming to an end, even though it’s been the weirdest time ever. I’m finding it frustrating trying to plan anything right now as situations can change in a heartbeat but also I’m never one for sitting around and not cooking up something.

So when I see photographers achieving shoots and workshops right now, I am in so much admiration. I know how stressful and challenging it can be and I’m just trying to produce events within the UK. When I saw Rebecca Carpenter’s Insta Stories from her styled shoot workshop in Santorini, I was incredibly impressed with how it all came together. It looked magical and must have been such a wonderful experience for the group that attended.

This shot is just incredible and I know how hard that Rebecca and her team worked to make this shoot happen and to provide an inspiring experience for the attendees. It’s just amazing to see the effort pay off and this level of shot be produced in current times.

Right now, we are planning the syling for our upcoming Shoot Day together. We might not have Greek sunsets but we do have the very glorious Walcot Hall as a backdrop and I cannot wait to see what Rebecca’s team come up with.

Read Rebecca’s take on this shot below … 

Rebecca Carpenter Farmers Image Of The Week

What Rebecca said ...

“After months and weeks of stress and worry about whether or not this workshop was going to go ahead, it actually happened. I’ve had several workshops cancelled and postponed this year so I almost expected it, but I managed to pull off the workshop of my dreams during a pandemic- I mean, who does a bloody destination photography workshop during a pandemic? Me. That’s who. (In my defence this workshop was planned and sold before Covid!)

It really has been such a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges for me. This workshop has seriously tested me emotionally (and financially) and I’ve had to learn to just go with the flow. I don’t think people fully understand all the logistics of running a photography workshop; they see all the beautiful images and the final peaceful perfection that gets posted at the end, but behind the scenes on the day, it’s a very different story. Then moving it to another destination definitely complicates it further and introduces a whole new flock of unknown elements: will we have to quarantine? Will we have to quarantine on the return to England? Will the team be able to make it? Will the attendees still fly out? Will I have to issue refunds? The flowers, the furniture, the flights, the accomodation for the team, all the countless fees and expenses to be paid; this was a big gamble and a major financial risk, and there was always that worry, would I be able to recover it if it all went wrong? 
Then there were last minute changes and Covid Complications: the original venue closed due to covid, the original models were not allowed to fly from Italy to Greece, I had to source new models (and buy the new models new flights) my phone broke the day before the workshop…the list goes on and on, and it felt like the world was against me. But on the day, the Greek gods answered my prayers and gave me the day I always dreamed and hoped for. 
It would be remiss of me to claim the whole success of the shoot for myself. I was lucky to work with a lot of talented people in the run up  to the workshop, not least of whom was the amazing planner and stylist Valentina from ‘The Stars Inside’. Her contagious calm, competence and unflappable determination in the face of such overwhelming odds was undoubtedly a big part of what got us over the finish line! A lot of things will always go wrong in any shoot (especially abroad, during a pandemic!), and having an excellent  planner and stylist on your side can mean the difference between success and failure.
The reason I love this photo is that I remember how I felt in this exact moment. I had music playing on my mini speaker, it was right at the end of the day, and the wind picked up for the first time all day and Paula and Daniel just held on to each other and kissed. The wind blew her dress and in that moment, it was magic. My heart skipped a beat, I said a little thank you and told myself, ‘You did it. You bloody did it’.”