It's rare that I upload a folder of images just of myself to Love My Dress, I'm actually very camera shy and don't always think I look great on photos, but this mini-shoot I participated in yesterday was quite special to me – an opportunity to try to find some confidence in front of the lens with a photographer who would allow me to relax and just be me, no awkward posing or anything like that.
After receiving an invitation to hook up for a few photographs and spot of coffee, yesterday I met the wonderful Ashton Jean-Pierre. Fashionably late as always, I found myself stepping out of a taxi at 1pm and on to the beautiful cobbled stones of Columbia Road in East London, famous for it's Sunday morning flower market. I was due to meet Ashton in Campania, a gorgeous cafe on the corner with Barnett Grove.
I'm not frightened to admit that I was a little nervous about this meeting, Ashton is profoundly deaf and I was worried that I was going to make a real idiot out of myself trying to communicate and end up offending Ashton or something. I couldn't have been more wrong…
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Ashton Jean-Pierre
From the moment I arrived and was greeted with his glorious smile, I knew I was going to be just fine with Ashton. We chatted for a little while about film {Ashton shoots in film} and wedding photography and the Most Curious Wedding Fair that were were both due to stroll on to after our mini-shoot.
I quickly learned that communicating with a deaf person when you have almost non-existant sign language skills {I did try!} is not as scary a prospect as it might sound. Infact it's a lot easier than I thought it would be and within moments, Ashton and I were enjoying a conversation like we were old friends and I felt completely at ease in his wonderful company…
Campania is lovely, a tiny little cafe with a rustic charm meets skinny jean kind of cool, home baked loaves, wonderful antique decor and just enough room to breath in and squeeze past the ladies on the back table supping their tea over gossip to get to the tiny rest room at the back.
I've never been to Columbia Road before but was really looking forward to my visit. My friend and makeup artist Lucy Baker, who made my eyes look a whole lot less tired for this shoot, used to live nearby and was telling me I'd just love it and to enjoy the atmosphere…
I didn't want to be too glammed up or 'over the top' for these images when it came to what I was wearing and my hair, and so I asked Severin Hubert of Hepburn Collection if he'd style my hair in relaxed style – with a few signature waves, of course! Working with Sev is a complete joy every time, I cannot recommend him enough.
I loved how Lucy applied the subtlest shades of blue and green to my eyes too, to match my dress – a little turquoise vintage number from the 80's {who'd have thought we'd be wearing vintage from the 80's so soon?!}, a purchase I made from the Peekaboo Vintage concession at Oxford Street's Topshop – my leopard print scarf was also from Peekaboo Vintage…
Ashton and I chatted about the barriers he faces as a deaf photographer – how people will see his work and love it, but may be nervous about booking. I could understand this caution, but cannot emphasise enough how there is no need for any.
Ashton will always have an interpreter during the initial consultation stage with any couple interested in his work, and on the wedding day itself, he works independently and very capably, using his skill and unique view of the world to capture beautiful images on his trusty Pentax. The fact he works with film makes his images all the more appealing to me…
After the shoot, Ashton and I walked on to the 'A Most Curious Wedding Fair' Exhibition that was being held at York Hall in Bethnal Green, and Ashton took a few more photos…
One of my fave bits was the man with the oysters {complete with tabasco!}. Not sure my breath was fave of the day with too many people after that mind…
Yes. They are real fireworks…
I was so pleased to finally meet Becky Hoh-Hale {see here wedding here}, the event organiser…
Debbie Carlisle of DC Bouquets below – who had some beautifully exquisite new brooch bouquets on display…
I'd like to thank Ashton for his time for that beautiful two hours in East London when I could just forget about everything and be me for a little while. Ashton – I can't wait to meet you and Shel for that lunch I'm treating you too.
If you would like to find out more about Ashton Jean-Pierre and his wonderful photography, please visit the Ashton Jean-Pierre blog or Facebook page. Ashton can be contacted via this email address and can be found on Twitter.
Huge thanks to my friends Severin and Lucy for making me look a whole lot better and feel a lot more confident on my way to this shoot! 🙂
Any feedback welcome, but please be kind 🙂
Much love,
Annabel
♥
Photography – Ashton Jean-Pierre
Dress + leopard print scarf – Peekaboo Vintage via Topshop, Oxford Street
Vintage Coat – A little antique shop in Whitby
Sandals – Topshop
Hair – Severin Hubert, Hepburn Collection
Makeup – Lucy Baker
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
You look beautiful Annabel, and I adore Ashton’s photography. The setting and composition of the images are beautiful and your fabulous personality and style shines out from the screen of my laptop.
Sending you a massive hug lady.
F xXx
Beautiful – both the photography and your face.
x
Really lovely images, love the oyster idea, you look beautiful, hope that you are ok, sending big loves xXx
Lovely photos Annabel…I hope you are ok. Sending you my love
xx
Fab photos Annabel. Would love to try out that wee cafe myself. I went to the wedding fair too which I absolutely loved – the setting was perfect and I loved having a cup of tea and slice of cake served in vintage china by the very glam tea ladies. I was also very inspired by all the stall holders and their fab vintage hair dos. Sending you a gigantic cyber hug, horrible to hear you’ve received some bad news. Love Ali x
You’s a beautiful lady missy. Love your hair colour too, really suits your complexion. I love the easy like a Sunday morning feel to the photos, beautiful. X
this is so lovely! love the soft feel of the whole shoot, its gorgeous!
Beautiful images Annabel!
Bokehiful article! Bokehiful blogger! 🙂 Thanks to Lucy Baker and Hepburn Collection! As for your treat, I would like most expensive meal in London! Ha! Take care! xxx
Amazing intimate session. so lovely and relaxed The colour of you dress is WOW!!
Hope Your personal stresses are easing :/
Deep breaths and strong heart
Xx
LOL! I was thinking Big Mac ‘n fries??? xXx
Thank you so much Stacey xXx
The wedding fair was wonderful, and Campania was such a delight 🙂
Thanks for your gigantic cyber-hug xXx 🙂
Thanks partly to you Sev, you are a star xXx
Thanks so much Aneta, means a lot coming from you/such a great photographer 🙂 xXx
Thanks so much love, big loves received xXx
Thanks Vicki – not long now eh? 🙂 xXx
Thank you so much – I feel/look a little pensive, but hardly surprising really. Hope you are having a good weekend sweetheart xXx
Hehe – thanks lovely 🙂 xXx
Thanks so much Sharron, so kind of you to say that xXx
Oh, I saw you guys ester day… We were showing at the fair loving the wave!!! Xxx
You’re back to blonde! Love the look Annabel, the colour of your dress is amazing! I adore Ashton’s photography style, what a great match you two are! Hope your weekend has got better xo
I really don’t comment enough on this blog (the Frida shoot WOW) but i love this shoot, so soft and the colour of your dress is stunning! The wedding fair looks so fun as well! xx
You look really really beautiful in these images. I also went to the fair having seen it on this blog, and thought it was lovely. x
What a beautiful set of photographs,beautifully styled and so fabulously shot, I stumbled across your blog for the first time today, but think you have a new fan!
You look so lovely in the gorgeous jade green dress Annabel. Ashton’s pictures of you are beautiful x
Gorgeous pics and I LOVE the new look of the site!!! x
So excited to see a picture of my paper-cut! My name is Gemma and I sadly didnt have a stall at the event but was floating about having helped Becky Ho-Hale to organise the fair. So glad you came along, but sorry to have missed you and Ashton whose pictures are absolutely beautiful. Please may I link to my webpage http://www.facebook.com/gemmaspapercuts from the photograph? Thank you so much, love Gem x
Well done you! Sometimes it must be daunting to be on that side of the lense, I imagine..
Not sure if it’s the rustic setting and the cobblestones- but there is something very European about the shoot! And they almost look like stills from a wistful movie! (or do I have too much imagination ;))
And the shots are so natural and not overposed, the pictures really have an emotional connection.
Bravo all!
PS love the honey haircolour- very flattering
Great details and fabulous hair!
really nice shots. you should pose more often:) and Ashton – he is really an inspiration for me. great work. Anna
A lovely set of pictures, although I really wanted to comment that I love the new blog layout! I think the new header is perfect, it definitely sums up Lovemydress in a picture!
you look great with this fresh colour:) love the headdress, I wish I could do it every day…(but takes time!
p.s. the new design is lovely – very refreshing, but still very “you”))
Thanks so much Tatiana, so kind of you to say. I just wanted to freshen the look up and move away from the ‘all brown’. I’m going to write a little blog feature about what inspired me in pulling the redesign together as I thought it might be interesting for my readers 🙂 What do you think? xXx
Thanks so much Katie, such lovely feedback – that makes me really happy 😉 xXx
Hi Anna! You should have come to say hi! 🙂 xXx
Well ‘kind of’ blonde. I think it’s brown but Sev tells me it is definitely blonde! I have to go through 2 more highlights to get it right. Can’t do an all over colour as my hair is still pretty weak. But I am loving being lighter again 🙂
Thanks for your kind words too 🙂 xXx
Thanks Chelsea! I love your blog comments 🙂 xXx
I love your name!!! ;))) xXx
Wow thanks Ruth! Welcome! I hope this is the first of many visits you enjoy from hereon 🙂 xXx
I’m so rubbish at posing!! ;)) xXx
Why thank you Abby. I do love my dress!!! 😉
Ashton is incredibly talented, I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to have met and worked with him xXx
Thank you *so* much Janet 🙂 xXx
I love your imagination Lula 😉 Thanks for such lovely words too, you’re a total sweetheart xXx
… all thanks to Sev and his curlers!! 😉 xXx
Do you mean the ‘L’..? 😉
… and by all means! please do link Gemma! 😉 xXx
Annabel, you look beautiful – all those greens and blues really bring out your eyes (I’m loving the lighter locks too!) Ashton’s photos are so soft and dreamy, looks like a perfect, chilled out day in East London xx
I’d love to read all about it! I haven’t had my LMD fix for a week *slap wrists* so it was a lovely surprise to find this delightful new design! ‘Glamourous, gorgeous, elegant & pretty’ sums it up perfectly 🙂
Did realise you where are at the show otherwise I would of said hello. I was the official photographer for the day! 🙂
Wow, You have a talent in photographing!
Thank you so much sweetheart, that’s so kind of you to say 🙂
xXxXx
Why thank you! Post coming up! 🙂
xXxXx