Three days in Exmoor – winter shoot

Exmoor

A winter shoot over 3 days can challenge your creativity as we found out recently.

Working closely with our good friend Chris Boulton, a commercial photographer in Gloucestershire, we were searching for locations for a forthcoming brand awareness fashion shoot. It’s not all about sunshine and perfection. Sometimes grey days can be just as alluring. Using the weather conditions to create an atmospheric film is key to getting across the isolation and raw beauty of the landscape.

Finding the perfect location

Exmoor can be a lonely place in winter, but that just gave us more scope to create a film of Chris in a real environment. Porlock Weir marsh and the Valley of the Rocks, as well as a little further afield at Spekes Mill Waterfall were just three of the locations we used. All of these locations provided great backdrops with which to feature Chris at work.

Travelling light

Working in the open means equipment is limited but that does not mean that the content is. Our drone was able to capture some eye-catching images to enhance some regular footage. It also gave us an insight into what we can achieve when we return next year with the full crew.

Planning is the key

There are those who believe that photo or video shoots just happen. In fact, it is the opposite which is true . Brands want originality and quality above all else. So time spent searching for locations and shot ideas is time well spent. For this outdoor clothing feature, we needed to showcase the quality and durability. But also to deliver a message to the fashion conscious. So rugged moorland and windswept beaches are very much the order of the day.

Along the way we were able to shoot Chris at work and highlight just what goes into getting those shots that the client wants. We liked what saw during 3 days in Exmoor, we hope you like it too!