Collaboration with Martin Dobson Couture and the Southwold Flower Company

As the saying goes, there’s no ‘I’ in team, and that was certainly true of this shoot. I had the pleasure of working with a group of talented, creative people, turning a personal project into something a bit special. Between us there were designers, a florist, a model, a makeup artist and a local shop, each bringing their own skills to a shoot that grew well beyond what I first pictured.

The Idea Behind the Shoot

The shoot started as a small personal project and grew as more people joined. Martin from Martin Dobson Couture and I wanted to make something different, something that would stand out. Martin was keen to design a dress specifically for the shoot, which gave us the perfect foundation for the theme.

I knew Liz from The Southwold Flower Company, a local florist who specialises in wedding flowers and bouquets, would be keen to take part, so we put a plan together. The idea was a whimsical, fairytale scene, full of rustic, autumnal touches with a bit of elegance. Working with creative people like this always brings a certain energy, and this shoot was no exception. We all had a good time, and you could feel it as everyone pulled together.

Building the Set

The set mattered a great deal to the whimsical, rustic feel we were after. Liz and her husband Roger built it in a barn on the outskirts of Southwold, which made the perfect backdrop. The barn’s rustic character was helped along by shutters and doors from the-barn.co, a local shop known for its vintage and artisan homewares. Those pieces added the final touches that brought the set to life.

The set wasn’t just a backdrop; it became part of the story. The wooden elements and floral decorations made a scene that felt both grounded and slightly otherworldly, exactly right for the fairytale theme.

The Dress and Floral Design

Our model, Eliza Mobbs, is Liz’s daughter and a natural fit for the shoot. Her poise made photographing her a pleasure. Eliza wore a blush pink dress, custom-designed by Martin Dobson, its flowing lines and delicate details suiting the theme.

Liz’s work went well beyond flowers; she built a whole floral world. She made a woodland-themed bouquet along with arrangements across the set, all of which brought a romantic, elegant note to the scene. The flowers weren’t just decoration, they were part of the story we were telling in the images.

The Finishing Touches

No fairytale is complete without the right finishing touches. Our makeup artist, Kirsty Woolnough, created a look that was both simple and a little mystical, with a loose, curly updo for Eliza that suited the mood. Her makeup was subtle but effective, drawing out Eliza’s natural looks and fitting the theme.

To finish the look, Eliza wore a tiara designed by Wisheart Tiara Design, adding a regal touch, while custom necklaces by Sue Stud of The Magic of Fireflies and Dragonflies added just enough sparkle.

Creating the Fairytale Atmosphere

To push the mood further, I used smoke during parts of the shoot. It added mystery, wrapping Eliza and the set in a soft haze and lifting the storybook quality we were chasing, so the images feel almost lifted from a fairytale.

Set, dress, flowers, accessories and smoke came together into something I’m really pleased with. Each part played its role in building the whimsical, autumnal world we’d imagined.

Behind the Scenes

The final images tell one part of the story; the process behind them is just as interesting. From the first conversations to the day itself, every step was a shared effort. Watching so many creative people bring one idea to life was hugely rewarding, and it’s always a pleasure to work with people as passionate about their craft as I am.

If you’d like a closer look at what went on, I’ve put a behind-the-scenes video on my YouTube page, and you’ll find more of my work across the site.

Conclusion: A Successful Collaboration

This shoot showed what’s possible when creative people come together around one idea. Working with Martin Dobson Couture, The Southwold Flower Company and everyone else involved led to something I’m proud of, and a project I thoroughly enjoyed.

If you’re a creative professional or a business looking to collaborate on something similar, I’d love to hear from you. You can also see more of my commercial photography. Working with like-minded people is always a pleasure, and I’m always open to new ideas.

For any enquiries or to talk through a collaboration, please get in touch.

Sources:

the-barn.co

Martin Dobson Couture

The Southwold Flower Company

  • A woman in an elaborate pink ball gown stands before white wooden doors surrounded by autumn flowers and climbing ivy.
  • A woman in an elaborate ball gown and tiara stands in a garden courtyard surrounded by dried flowers and climbing ivy.
  • A ballet dancer in a pale tutu and tiara poses en pointe in a garden setting with classical architecture and climbing ivy.
  • A ballet dancer in a pale pink tutu and pointe shoes poses en arabesque in front of an ornate doorway, surrounded by dried flowers.
  • A woman in a tulle gown and crown holds a bouquet while standing en pointe in a garden archway with climbing flowers.
  • A woman in a peach tulle gown and tiara holds a bouquet while standing en pointe in a Gothic courtyard with flowering vines.
  • A woman with auburn hair wears an ornate crown and holds a lush bouquet of flowers and foliage in an elegant portrait.
  • A woman with styled brown hair and a gold crown gazes toward the camera in an ornate interior setting.
  • A young woman with long hair wearing an ornate crown holds a large, lush bouquet of greenery, ferns, daisies and an orange rose against a muted brown backdrop.
  • A woman with reddish-brown hair wearing an ornate golden crown with dried branches, a pale pink dress adorned with large fabric flowers, and a decorative pendant necklace, gazing directly at the camera.
  • A ballet dancer in pointe shoes and a pale tulle skirt stands en relevé in an ornate garden setting with dried flowers and white doors.
  • A woman in a flowing pale pink gown holds a bouquet of flowers in an overgrown, misty garden setting.
  • A woman in an elegant peach wedding dress holds a bouquet and flowing fabric in a dilapidated interior with overgrown vegetation.
  • A ballet dancer in a pale pink tulle gown holds a bouquet while posed en pointe among overgrown vines in misty woodland.
  • A ballet dancer in a flowing pale gown and veil stands en pointe, holding a bouquet, against a moody forest backdrop.
  • A woman in a flowing tulle gown and pointe shoes stands in an elegant pose, holding a bouquet, with fabric billowing behind her.
  • A young woman with styled hair wearing a pale pink corset with fabric flowers and a star pendant necklace, against a textured backdrop.
  • A woman in a pale pink tulle gown sits holding a wildflower bouquet against a white greenhouse backdrop surrounded by potted plants.

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