Creating the dream.

Our latest road trip took us to this wee place…

.. which was a beautifully restored traditional Irish thatched cottage, by Maggie & Robert Graham, near the village of Kerrykeel in County Donegal.

Anyway, having already seen images of what it looked like inside…

.. Marie came well prepared to transform it, into the sort of thing you would see in a magazine – since that was our goal.

So just before we left, she emailed me to say:

Have just taken an old dust sheet out of the tumble drier to cover up the sofa …… Crumpled as hell and I love it 🙂

I will either fail miserably with this wee place – or it will be my finest hour !!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

And sure if nothing else, it will be a lovely couple of days in a beautiful part of the world 🙂

And so she did, as you can see in the first picture I took…

.. which when lit as if the sun was shining in, ended up looking like this…

.. after the fire was lit and we played around with the re-positioning of a few items.

To the right was this little room…

.. which once again Marie transformed…

.. as I filled the room with some sunlight – and upstairs was the master bedroom…

.. which is actually where we started – so while Marie sorted out the bedding, etc…

.. I once again worked on the lighting – and the result was this…

.. which we were both very pleased with.

As Marie would often say to clients:

Photography and Styling go hand in hand – if they sing from the same hymn sheet – voila.
If they don’t – then it can be a loooong and very unproductive day !!!!

Which is very true – because, without her, I honestly won’t have known what to do here…

.. but between us, we just started to sing…

.. and so while Marie worked on the styling, I worked on the lighting…

.. and before you know it… voila…

.. another masterpiece had been created

Wow !!!!

I truly didn’t think we’d get anything so good when I saw the first cut 🙂

It was when the vintage white linen went on the table that it suddenly came together.

And so it when throughout the day – which just left the outside to shoot, which we completed the following morning as the sun came out to play…

.. to complete the dream.

Which is basically what we do, when it comes to creating images which we are hoping others will want to use, be it for a feature in their magazine or for advertising.

Selling the Sizzle, as well as showing Steak

Anyway, the reaction to date has been…

“Wow and indeed Wee!!!!!absolutely stunning. You must be v proud of having pulled something of this level off!! Also very special that a wee thatch cottage is styled so uniquely!!! Big pats all round!!!”

.. from Stuart who has assisted us on may such shoots.

From Janet…

“Now Marie – Wow! Triple wow! I am totally blown away by what you have achieved here. Seriously, that is astounding!!!!

You have made a totally run down cottage into a MOST desirable rental!!! You have played to its strengths – it’s rustic/shabbiness and given it charm by the bucket load…and all without even a lick of FB paint – Hee Hee!!! Your wee sis is seriously impressed. You have excelled yourself Madam!!! Blimey, no wonder you’re tired, ​Marie. You are one talented lady “

.. who’s varies properties we have shot over the years, including one of my all-time favorites: Jasmin near the French Riviera village of St Paul de Vence.

And from Claudio – who we have recently been working with quite a bit on our latest hotel work – after seeing the first of the preview images which Marie sent him:

“OMG!!

wow… fair play to both of you!!
I’m not too sure I’m looking at the same house here lol!!

You have done a beautiful work setting up this room, your experience and vision really come​ through in a house like this.
I don’t think Ashley could have done anything here without you…
I can see his sunshine light coming through but it’s the décor of the room and your abilities to hide​ a pretty average looking furniture by creating a luxury look in a very simple way…
honestly Marie, well done!!

thanks also for forwarding ​your before images.. a great example of being​ able to see past what’s in front of you!! Your determination has paid off!

looking forward to the rest now!!”

So there you have it – creating the dream – by Marie & me near the village of Kerrykeel in County Donegal