Two weeks, two chateaus. A photographic adventure in France.
Anna at the chateau
It’s 4:30am and I’m laughing as I clumsily navigate my luggage past the street lamps along the narrow side road. I’m walking to Paddington to catch the train to Heathrow. My backpack has been all over the world with me, USA, Dubai, Australia, the Canaries, Jordan and much more, but this is the first time that I’ve taken a bag with a background stand and backdrop on a photographic adventure. Who does this? I say to myself with a chuckle as I climb on board the train like it’s perfectly normal. I’m headed to France for two weeks of photography with friends old and new and travelling to several new cities. I love to travel, but in many ways this is a little unusual for me, of late my idea of a photographic adventure is to head off into the unknown, a desert or dormant volcano to capture the beauty of the human form in an otherworldly location. But on this occasion I will be staying and shooting in two rather grand looking chateaus. The black backdrop slung over my shoulder will be used to stage a studio like scene juxtaposed against the grandeur of a chateau, or at least that is the idea.
As I find my seat on the plane I’m reminded once again of the kick I get before a trip like this. The excitement of not knowing what the images will be like but an enthusiasm for knowing the process of taking them will be a lot of fun. It doesn’t matter how much planning you do (or what backdrops you bring) the people you meet ultimately define the images you take and I love photographing people.
Toulouse
Houda, my Uber driver waves at me from her black Tesla in the car park of Toulouse airport. As we drove into the city alongside a wide canal she spoke proudly of the city she calls home, claiming it is better than Paris or the other larger cities in France. I’ve never been here and am looking forward to being a tourist for the next 24 hours. My French is rusty but I’m keen to dust it off, but as is often the case, Houda doesn’t get the chance to speak in English much so also wants to test her language skills. This creates a curious back and forth, a game of who knows more and one I ultimately lost. She explained: “Je parie que vous connaissez mieux le français quand vous l'entendez parlé par d'autres” Meaning she expected me to pick it up again as I heard it spoken more.
Toulouse is wonderfully old, packed with beautiful architecture that is linked together by small cobbled streets. It was 10:30 am and my body was ready to crash out in the hotel, but I only had a short time here and I love visiting new cities. There were things to see and I had a long list! A day of cloistered monasteries, riverside walks, art shops, old coffee shops and rooftop bars and finished off with a meal in a tiny family run bistro. Man, I love France…
The next morning I headed to a rendezvous point at the south east edge of the city. My taxi pulled up next to a small black Kia and there next to it, his tall frame dwarfing the car was my friend Dave. The last time I had seen him he was driving a black Kia in Iceland, but that one was huge! Dave had been unwell recently, life had thrown the book at him, but there he was, the same ever present smile. It was good to see him and this time, he was here with family. Dave’s daughter Kyra greeted me next followed by a big hug from Kris, Dave’s wife. Dave once told me that Kris was the best person he knew - something I was quick to share with her. We enjoyed a meal in a US themed diner (What!?.. It had decent reviews!) and then made haste for chateau number one.
So at this point I should explain something as this is all feeling a bit random. I’m here in France as I had booked to go on a photography event at the end of May. For those who don’t know, a photography event is a means for photographers to go to a cool location and shoot with great models. I don’t normally do such things (I favour planning my own trips) but 3 days leading up to a bank holiday weekend in a magnificent castle in France was something I couldn’t pass up. It turned out that Dave was also going to the same event and he asked if I wanted to meet up the week before and shoot together. His proposition was ‘event like’ but with just him and I and a few models, plus his family. An actual holiday with a camera. In my head that is not a complicated question, I had to say yes. All of that was ages ago, a winter had passed and here we were in the south of France driving down a dusty track headed towards some iron gates framed by cypress trees. We had arrived at Château du Pégulier, home for the next week.
Château du Pégulier
We were greeted by Loic and Loic, the two chaps who owned the chateau. We may never know how the world decided these two men of the same name (meaning famous warrior) should form a relationship and then buy a chateau, but we will always be grateful as they were brilliant hosts.
Dave is a recovering accountant (he's recently retired but you can spot the organised mind) who had meticulously planned the next 7 days. He had booked four models with a rest day in the middle. We had discussed who to invite to our ‘week off’. Dave had a list and I added my thoughts, as is always the case it was going to be down to availability and logistics, travel often being the hardest part. The one person I had suggested who could make it was Irena who I had exchanged messages with the year before. Nothing more than to say that I admired her work, she seemed very connected in her images. The other person I was looking forward to meeting was Claire (Rebirthofthebird) who Dave was a fan of having worked with before and I had learnt was fun to chat with on messages. If you are reading this Claire, Dave booked this chateau as it was 45 mins from you!
Claire
On Monday, Dave and I met Irena at the airport and we’d later collect Claire from the local train station. Irena is from Ukraine, but lives in Germany with her husband whilst Claire is native to Toulouse so a simpler journey. The girls got to pick their rooms from the countless bedrooms that were on offer and we all enjoyed a meal together that evening. These are the formative moments that define the photos you will take, new people, what will they be like, will you get on? Sitting back it was like watching a happy family who had known each other for years. This was going to be a great shoot!
Tuesday was our first shoot day and Claire was kind enough not to question why she was outside watching me erect a black backdrop next to this magnificent building. The overcast sky made for gorgeous daylight and I was keen to maximise it. With a small amount of direction from me, Claire had selected a black outfit, the idea being to accentuate her pale skin and black hair in very contrasty images. There is no question, Claire is a professional, she knows what she is doing. But it is also really nice shooting with someone you have an instant connection with and you can drop any facade. My first shoot in France was … perfect. I will never tire of photographing nice humans.
Irena
Later that morning Irena and I shot together and I wanted to use the same overcast light. If I am honest, I was a little bit intimidated by Irena, it wasn’t her personality for she is a very kind and genuine person, it was simply that I could see she had creativity in her bones and I wanted to ensure I did justice to her abilities as a model, but also as a photographer. The light was higher now so I moved my backdrop stand inside a path made by two tall hedges and we shot within the shaded light. Irena wore a black suit and confidence to match. The dark hedges, a natural equivalent to V-Flats shaped the light and helped to define her chiselled features. I adored my first shoot with Irena, I had joked that all she needed was a stage to simply be herself and that is exactly what came across as we shot together.
Thirty minutes in and the set came to an abrupt end as a white Tesla appeared behind us, apparently the hedges traced a narrow driveway down to the entrance of the building and Loic was headed out. Irena who was no longer wearing her suit dived for cover and Loic smiled and waved as if to say carry on and he would find another exit. Music continued to play from my laptop and we both laughed at the surreal interjection. Just like the hours before with Claire, this shoot was a shot in the arm that made me confident this was going to be a great week.
Dave and I had discovered an abandoned farm building with shutters that allowed you to control the light that entered the dusty spaces. That combined with an attic with direct light meant the beautiful rooms of the chateau sometimes took second seat. The ability to pick a room or location based on what the light was doing in that moment and create together with someone who was just as creative was so rewarding. Over the next two days Dave and I sought out different ways to interpret this place, each with our own stamp. Sometimes interjected with Irena taking photos of Claire with her Minolta and old Polaroid camera. The highlight of the day was a meal cooked by Kris where we’d all convene to eat and chat whilst reviewing the photos that had been taken. I could honestly do this forever and ever.
On our final evening I got out my drone and as the light got softer Claire and Irena walked into a nearby field and we took what would become one of my favourite photos of the trip.
It was somehow Thursday and time to say goodbye to Claire and Irena. We dropped them off in the centre of Toulouse and stayed in town to kill time whilst waiting for Petra, our next model guest. Claire had recommended a photographic gallery and library, Dave and I admired the art and enjoyed chatting with a librarian who seemed to know so much about self publishing photography books (a topic I am very interested in!). Petra is from Hungary, a place I am ashamed to say I have yet to visit. She’s one of those people who manages to look elegant despite having been on a plane for several hours. She greeted us with a big smile and seeing her I confirmed she was as tall as her photos suggested. Several hours later Dave and I were back at Toulouse airport to collect Karina, our fourth and final model guest. Poor Karina had spent the day in Munich airport after her morning flight had been cancelled and was entitled to look pissed off. But her outlook is a positive one and like Petra before her she greeted us with a big happy smile.
Karina
As before Friday and Saturday were spent chasing the light in and around the chateau. I had been a broken record about wanting to shoot in the pool, but it was fantastically cold. Irena had joked that Karina (who she knew) would be the only one to give it a go and she wasn’t wrong, the hard light reflecting off her sequined dress as she waded in the water. We’d later shoot upstairs inside the chateau and I pulled out a small hand held flash gun, the idea being to shoot some ‘after party’ photos. Those images you’d see in the back of photography books where a photographer has snapped a few celebrities at a launch event and caught their wild side.
Karina channeled her own wild side and brought the concept to life, the unforgiving flash light freezing each carefree moment. This was so much fun to do, as ever, the photos are the goal but the process of creating them with someone who gets it is what drives me. Despite her devil-may-care attitude that I enjoyed capturing, one of my favourite photos of Karina is of her silently looking at the camera beside a window, bathed in its narrow light. It was obviously her, but also a nice contrast to the other images we had taken together.
Petra
Petra was also lovely to shoot with, she has a very calming personality and you can see she enjoys what she does. Our first set together was outside the chateau and using my black backdrop (I was getting so much use out of it!). She wore a black evening dress and sat elegantly on an upholstered chair with the chateau looming over her and the backdrop. Picture a movie set where the unit photographer has created a pop up studio to capture portraits of the actors between takes. We used the grand dining room for the first time and Petra managed to perch on the large mantelpiece. We shot in the outbuilding and my first and only time in Dave’s favourite spot, the attic. Petra even got in the pool and soaked her long black dress and all of this she did so effortlessly. Our final photos were taken with my drone retracing the steps made by Claire and Irena a few days before.
Supper and editing
Throughout our week Kris and Kyra would head out to see the sights (often seeking out a zoo) and then return for us all to share a meal. Kris has been brilliant. She was such a great host, each night cooking up a new culinary delight. Our evenings of fine food and chatting whilst reviewing the day's photos was coming to an end and we were all going to miss this place. I had been an honorary member of the family for a handful of days and I was once again reminded how much I liked Canadians. Kris and I had joked that she had not only washed my clothes, but even given me a little blue pill. NOT what you are thinking, it was simply a pain killer but I of course found it hilarious.
The following day was Sunday and an early start. We were leaving this wonderful place and all headed in different directions. Kris and Kyra were due back home as were Petra and Karina respectfully. Dave said adieu to his family and he and I were headed north to Lyon via train.
Lyon
Lyon was billed as a respite, a short stop over en route to Nevers where the next chateau was awaiting us. Dave had booked an Airbnb for two nights, a place that was more like an industrial studio that you could sleep in. Lyon is steeped in history and was famous for its silk in the 18th century. The old stone stairs that lead up to our floor had been worn away by thousands of footsteps and inside the apartment you quickly saw the giant windows that reached up to a distant ceiling. The room we were in had been created to house the giant silk looms from another era and whilst this history was fascinating, Dave and I both stared at the beautiful light coming into the giant space.
We were both reminded of a studio we loved in London called the Buckle Factory which sadly is no more. Never wanting to miss the opportunity to shoot, Dave had booked a model he knew, Kataline who is native to Lyon to shoot in this space the following morning. But first up, we needed to go see Lyon and headed out to walk through the old town and find a place to eat. Lyon is indeed a beautiful city and like Toulouse a place I promised I would come back to. I was constantly sending Cleia, my wife photos of the city and its narrow streets. She saw a resemblance to Edinburgh where she had just returned from.
Katline
The next morning Kataline arrived with a suitcase of clothes to shoot in and another big smile. Her English was perfect but she allowed me to attempt some of my French. A week in the country and it was coming back, ordering a meal or asking for directions was much easier. I was even finding I could understand more than I could speak. But what I was struggling with was those finer conversations and importantly little directions when shooting: “can you drop your chin and move your left hand away from your hip slightly” etc. So in reality it was great that Kataline had mastered English!
Dave won the coin toss and shot with her first using the early morning light that came in through the windows. He likes to shoot several stops under exposed so he can save the highlights and bring back the shadows when editing. Something we coined Dave Light™ I however am not that clever, I like to try and do it in camera and to that end had designs on shooting in the stairwell where the light bounced around the stone walls and floor. Kataline and I used the soft light to create a set of portraits against the stone and wrought iron railings.
Iryna
That afternoon Dave and I met up with Iryna, another Ukrainian model who happened to be in Lyon and pinged me to see if we wanted to meet up for a quick drink. It’s always nice meeting new faces and as I’ve said before this industry brings the best people together.
Dave and I continued our ritual of sharing a meal together and reviewing the day's photos. This time extending late into the evening as we both edited our favourite shots accompanied by a nice bottle of red wine.
The next morning we headed to the station, I was once again carrying way too much stuff. But I was learning to love the French trains which had big seats and plenty of storage. It was a very civilised way of getting around this huge country. Whilst waiting on the platform I spotted someone I recognised but it was La Sy who called my name out first. We had never met or talked before, but knew each other via Instagram. There are many reasons not to like social media, but I will never tire of how that pocket world has connected me with so many people who share a passion for photography. La Sy was also headed to Nevers, the same ‘Castle Event’ hosted by Ilvy Kokomo and her husband Rudolfs. As we reached Nevers station we convened in a spot in the entrance that shouted photographers. Somehow we all stood out and greeted each other with excitement for the days ahead. I stepped outside and sought out Claire, who arrived before us and was also coming to the same event - honestly, fate was involved in this planning. That or it was Dave’s organised mind from his days owning an accountancy firm that was at play.
Rudolfs greeted us in his nine seater van and was quickly playing a complex game of Tetris with our luggage. My long backdrop bag on offer for bonus points. An hour later and Rudolfs pulled into the long gravel driveway of Chateau de Clinzeau and on cue Ilvy arrived at the top of the grand stone steps that lead up to the entrance and welcomed us to her castle. It was impossible not to be impressed, the building was stunning and the grounds equally impressive. Ilvy has a strong and confident personality, and I would learn she is also humble and almost shy. But in this moment she was being the hostess and you could literally see how proud she was to have discovered this gem of a location. She hugged everyone like they were old friends, some of whom she had known for years and others, like me she’d met for the first time.
Chateau de Clinzeau
Everyone got to pick their own rooms, each one with stunning views and an en suite bathroom. It was really quite surreal to be here, you’d pinch yourself just to be able to visit a place like this, but here I was not only visiting, but also building up to shoot with some incredible people in this magnificent setting. That evening we all gathered downstairs in a cozy panelled room with a number of big red leather sofas that surrounded a giant fireplace with tapestries on the walls. In this grand setting we drank wine and got to know each other. A mix of photographers of different ages and skills and an equal number of modes who by now had all arrived. In that moment Leo rushed into the room and beamed as she hugged me. This was another example of two instagram strangers meeting in real life and (as we’d later discover) clicking. It was Meg who told me about Leo and said that we’d work well together and she wasn’t wrong. Leo was there with her boyfriend Stefan who was equally fun to hang out with. Anna arrived last and completed a rather spectacular five aside team.
Claire
That evening we sat down to a lovely meal in the very grand dining room. Ilvy was in full host mode and instructed us to share a bit about ourselves as an ice breaker. It’s always fascinating to hear how creative people evolve into who they are and it never surprises me how so many people with a creative flair hide an armoury of other capabilities. For example, when it came to Anna’s turn she explained she was in her final year of a computer science degree, something that is close to my heart (my day job as a CTO sees me surrounded by people who have followed the same path). We briefly chatted about her favourite language, which was C much to the confusion of the other guests. Her hope was to use her skills to later assist in agriculture and help find a way to solve our dependency on traditional farming. The room was alive with similar stories. I’ll never cease to be impressed by the creative community who are rich in talent in their own right, but often treat art as simply an outlet. It’s genuinely quite humbling.
Unlike the previous week which was rather casual for Dave and I, the next few days would be a different pace, a busy shooting agenda where Ilvy had paired 1:1 model and photographer shooting times and it was up to us to scout for locations in and around the chateau. Dave had quickly fallen for the room with the red sofas and seemingly made camp in there. Claire and I were to shoot first and we headed outside to the pool where a giant stone bird stood guard, a fitting place given her namesake. She has a remarkable switch where she can instantly go from giggly little vegan into a tour de force of elegance. I’m sure there are better ways of describing this, but I always enjoyed the transformation. I also loved how she always found something to laugh about, especially when it was slightly lost in translation. Quite simply a nice person wanting to do nice things in this world.
Anna
Anna and I were up next, I had an hour with the lady who loved writing code and my first thought was how do I use the black backdrop with her? I set it up outside the main entrance, partly as that side of the building was in shade and we discussed outfits. I wanted something to match the grand setting and Anna immediately announced “Versailles!” followed by the model equivalent of hold my beer and returned with a magnificent dark blue corset and matching accoutrements. The look was perfect and now all we needed to do was bring it to life. I was tethered to my laptop and she used that to put on some classical music and from that moment on Anna was lost in character.
Portraits depicting grandeur were intermixed with moments of release as she dashed across the lawn chasing my camera. The final moments saw her sitting on one of the stone lions at the entrance brandishing her bra like a trophy. None of this was planned, it was a collaborative interpretation of the scene we had both created. Later, when I got home Anna helped me select the images to edit from this set and it ended up being quite a few!
Ilvy
Next it was my turn to shoot with Ilvy and for the second time in two weeks I was slightly intimidated for no other reason than her reputation precedes her and I was conscious I needed to be on top form. In truth she has an incredibly gentle personality and I was probably the loudest voice. Dave had photographed her countless times and had said to me more than once that she could do any style. In my head that was simple, we’d go outside and shoot some fashion. Ilvy put on a black suit and heels and I grabbed a wide lens and we exploited the stone walkway that surrounded the back of the building.
All of this as Rudolphs filmed us with his drone in order to capture some fun behind the scenes video. I took my own BTS shot with my iPhone of Ilvy reviewing our photos on the back of my camera and she shared approvingly that not everyone knows how to use a wide angle lens with people.
In between shoots, La Sy filled the chateau with the sound of her beautiful piano playing and anyone who owned a phone would film her for the perfect keepsake.
Leo
The day continued at a rapid pace and by the end of it you could tell everyone was looking forward to another relaxing meal in the dining room. True to form Dave had managed to edit and publish his first image of the day, the man was nothing but dedicated! It was good fun to catch up with everyone, the chateau seemed to consume people in the day and it was only here that we could all reconvene.
Leo and I reviewed some of the shots we had taken that afternoon. It was a fun shoot in the blue living room at the heart of the building. I had encouraged another ‘after party’ theme and she had put on a dress made from a mesh of glass studs. I loved the idea that they would catch the light from the flash. It was only later that she shared how cold the metal and glass dress was against her bare skin! We both agreed that the photos looked great, her strong fashion poses and powerful expressions being the first thing you saw.
(after this shot was taken, Leo realised she had put the dress on back to front which is why the highlights from the glass were not captured. She sorted out the outfit and I took the images again, I just need to edit more of them!)
Leo
The next day we woke to a misty morning. Gone were the long light wells from the windows and in their pace was soft light that grazed the edges of each room. It was a great day for shooting outdoors, but also a fun time to shoot inside. Leo and I were up first and I had requested to shoot in Ilvy’s room which had three big windows. Leo put on a black suit and I asked her to channel Helmut Newton, something she called Tuesday.
The images came thick and fast and the more we opened the windows and Leo stepped outside the more she embraced the moment. It was there that I took one of my favourite images of Leo.
La Sy
La Sy and I really enjoyed our next shoot together. I’m not normally a fan of shooting in short bursts, but at the same time you got to see everyone and it forces you to be fully invested in being creative. The light was still soft so we used the tall window in her bathroom as a back light to highlight her pale skin and black dress.
This was combined with a semi nude shot of her reclining on a studded sofa and looking up into the light. Possibly my favourite shot of La Sy. We finished our short set with a few ‘after party’ shots and in three frames I caught her flicking her hair up as if she was at the centre of the party.
All of these images were different and none of them seemed close to the shy person Dave and I bumped into on the platform in Lyon. It just goes to show, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Group Shot (edit to follow)
The afternoon marked the final few hours of our time in the chateau. Claire and I shot upstairs, we listened to Björk whilst shooting against wallpaper studded with yet more birds. Rudolphs had put on a fire so Ilvy and I shot downstairs. I used the long windows to trace her poses and dare I say it embrace a dash of Dave Light™. My last 1:1 shoot was with Anna again. I gave her a postcard I had bought in the gallery in Toulouse. It was a simple image, but one that spoke to me as it was so calm. A nude in profile sat at the edge of a bed. The image was just a reference but we used the stillness to capture our final set of images. The blue hues in the room also required some matching clothes and Anna grabbed her blue corset from yesterday. A ‘fitting’ way to end the series.
As a last hurrah, each photographer was given a brief twenty minutes to shoot together with all five models, something I had never done before. The light was all over the place as thick clouds with large gaps in them rushed overhead. It was impossible to say what light you’d get during your slot. I set up my blackdrop to create an image I had in my head all week, but as my turn arrived I was gifted with clouds and switched to a very different idea. The week before I had captured a drone shot of Claire and Irena curled up together in a field. Here was a rare, possibly once in a lifetime option to do the same, but with five awesome people. Everyone was brilliant and excited to give it a go. Ilvy helped me curate the poses and I made every effort to shoot quickly knowing it was getting cold. We reviewed the images and they all had ideas for another pose and so despite the dropping temperature we went again. Leo was at the centre framed by the bodies of Anna, Ilvy, Claire and La Sy. In the final frame they all reached out a hand and gently touched Leo’s back. It was a lovely moment, a beautiful image but perhaps more importantly a reminder of how connected this wonderful group were.
The day had ended, the last frames taken and with it the end of a wonderful two weeks in France. It’s such a privilege to be able to dedicate time just to photography and to do so with a host of people who share the same passion. That evening Ilvy and team had prepared a wonderful farewell meal, but before that each photographer had to submit a number of photos for our group to review. Slumped in the red sofas we all cheered on each image as they were displayed on the big screen. It’s always interesting to see how different people interpret the same space.
Dave
The next day we said our goodbyes and all bundled into the mini bus and headed back to Nevers. During the journey I chatted with Anna who added to her list of wonders as she chatted to me in Mandarin. Not that I understood a word of what she was saying, I was just happy to be witness.
I had come to France excited about the unknown, and looking forward to the images that I would take. But as I journeyed home I was once again reminded - I’m going to get this printed on a t-shirt - it’s not just about the photos, it’s the people who you create them with that count.
Dave and I stood in Gare du Nord trying to say goodbye. He was headed for Brussels and I was going back to St Pancras in London. Dave had several more weeks of photography ahead of him (as I write this he is somewhere in Holland I think), but I needed to get back to work!
This should be the end of this story, but there is one final entry. If you have read any of my blogs before you’ll know I enjoy the stories of creating the photos as much as the images themselves. A year to the day I was in Lanzarote with Elena, someone who had become a good friend. Late last year we were in a bar in the St Pancras hotel waiting for Elena’s sister, Martina, to arrive from Paris where she lives. Just a couple of glasses of wine and a brief amount of time to swap stories.
Why does this matter? A number of weeks ago Martina had asked Elena if we could all shoot together, Martina was looking to scratch her own creative itch. I needed to come home after being away for so long so we agreed that Elena and Martina would come and stay at my house and we’d shoot in the countryside or in my studio. A few hours after I got home Cleia and I collected Elena and Martina from the station and shared a brief aperitif knowing tomorrow would be a busy day.
Elena & Martina
Martina works for Balenciaga so had come with a number of cool items to shoot in. Her plan was to experience being a model and potentially take some photos herself. It was Sunday morning and the light was soft so we shot outside. First a canvas backdrop on the patio for some simple portraits followed by Elena and Martina both getting inside the same oversized coat. Martina explained “we like weird fashion photos at work”. We shot in the woods and in a field behind the local church and then finally set up something more normal in the studio. By now I had embraced the quirky looks that Martina enjoyed so when she pulled out a pair of magnificent black boots, I could quickly picture what to do next.
I liked the idea of them being in the front of the image like a wide angled pack shot with the human form behind and out of focus. We started with that look and we all laughed, delighted at how cool it looked. A few frames in and Martina was encouraging her sister, her exact words were “I want to do Spider Girl”. From that point on the studio was filled with squeals from the two sisters as they contorted themselves into weirder and weirder shapes, each pose punctuated with a laugh and a moment to check the image that appeared on my tethered screen. It was honestly hard to keep focus and poise as we all laughed so much.
We finished the day with a glass of wine and a print for each of them. I bang on about the network effect of how photography brings like minded people together, but something was prodding me hard in the arm. Maybe it’s fate or maybe I live close to lay lines, but had you told me 365 days ago when I was in Lanzarote with Elena that a exactly a year later her sister would be in my studio demanding Elena be Spider Girl, I wouldn’t have believed you. As before, please see my yet to be printed t-shirt as to why this is important.
Credits: Please let me say a few final words to thank everyone who made these two weeks so special.
Kris and Kyra for letting me crash your vacation in France and a special note to Kris for always going the extra mile and ensuring we were so well looked after.
A huge thanks to Claire, Irena, Petra and Karina for making week one and Château du Pégulier such a memorable experience.
It was brief but lovely to meet you Kataline in Lyon, you are great fun and you live in a beautiful city.
A special thank you to Ilvy and Rudolphs and Rich the cook for finding the outrageously cool Chateau de Clinzeau and making it an awesome place to create in. Of course that could not be possible without Claire (again!) Anna, La Sy and Leo who all brought their own magic to my final week in France.
And of course a massive thanks to my friend Dave the architect of this two week soirée en France. You shared your vacation, your family and your light and once again we had a great adventure with our cameras.
Finally a big thanks to Cleia, my wife who is always there, helping me be creative and hosting Italian sisters who need their own creative break. PS - I love the fact that Elena has stayed at my home in Wiltshire and with Dave and Kris in their home in Canada. I swear I’m going to get that t-shirt printed!
