A moment at Formby Beach.
A pre-wedding shoot gives couples the chance to spend some time in front of the camera without the time pressures of a wedding day. It’s also a great opportunity for us to get to know each other a little better and create some natural, meaningful photographs together. Many couples also use the images for things like wedding invitations, their wedding website, or even prints and displays at the wedding venue.
For Aimee and Andy’s session, we decided to meet at Formby Beach in Liverpool. It’s a beautiful location and one of my favourite spots for shoots like this. The sand dunes, long grasses and open beach create such a natural and atmospheric setting, perfect for relaxed, documentary-style photographs.
When the day arrived, the weather definitely wasn’t the warm beach day you might imagine. The temperature was around 7°C, and it was pretty cold by the sea. But sometimes those conditions can actually add something special to the atmosphere of a shoot.
We started the session amongst the dunes, using the natural textures of the sand and grass as a backdrop. The soft light and the quiet surroundings made it the perfect place to begin, and Aimee and Andy were completely at ease together.
After spending some time there, they changed outfits and we ventured further down onto the beach itself. The open shoreline at Formby creates such a beautiful sense of space, and the muted tones of the sea and sky gave the photographs a really timeless feel.
At one point, they even braved dipping their feet into the sea. Considering the temperature, it definitely wasn’t sunbathing weather, but they embraced the moment and had a bit of fun with it. Those spontaneous moments are often the ones that make the photographs feel the most genuine.
Despite the cold weather, the whole session felt relaxed and natural, and the images turned out beautifully. These kinds of shoots are always special because they capture couples in a really authentic way, without the structure of a wedding timeline.
Aimee and Andy will be using these photographs for their wedding invitations and their wedding website, and they’re also considering having some of the images printed and displayed on the day itself, which is always a lovely touch.
I’m really looking forward to photographing their wedding day. If this session was anything to go by, it’s going to be an incredible celebration.
