Discovery

We recently had another photoshoot for our latest range so I thought it would be fun to give you a little glimpse behind the scenes!

All in the planning

Planning is key! We have done this a number of times now as we generally photograph clothing twice a year. Obviously, the planning does become easier with experience. The first time we did this we were learning as we went along!

First point of call, a few months out, is booking our photographer, Mark. This is shortly followed by a venue for the shoot. We tend to book a venue for the morning to get all our product detail shots for the website done. This time we transformed the village hall in Trumpington near Cambridge into a photography studio for the day!

The location shoots are done in the afternoon, these are needed for lifestyle pictures for the website and social media. We plan where we are going in advance - this time Cambridge - and we always walk the route ahead of the shoot to familiarise ourselves with spots for a great shot. We also contact the local council, and any other property owners, to get permission to take commercial pictures in the location.

I’m already in the Halloween spirit, and all that October brings with it! There is always something special in the air at this time of year. The colours and crunching through dry leaves, the annual pumpkin patch visit and pumpkin carving. It’s my daughter’s birthday month and she loves to plan her outfit every year. We always look forward to the trick or treating and are hoping we can do it again this year. The excitement that the sight of spooky pumpkin displays bring, lighting the way to a house that is ‘open’ to giving treats is loved by our kids and their friends. They always return with overflowing buckets of goodies to compare and then tuck into at the end of the night!

It seems that Halloween events are back on the cards in 2021. Our town has a Halloween trail for the little ones and there are numerous Halloween activities put on by many big attractions. English Heritage and the National Trust have many Halloween events advertised.

Alongside this, it got me thinking of suitably spooky places to visit as adults or with slightly older kids! So here are just a selection of some of the creepy castles and haunted houses that I found...

Having just organised a photoshoot where we took some pictures in a beautiful local garden, I was really taken by surprise at how many gardens there are out there to visit in the area that I didn’t know existed.

When trying to find a great location to get some pictures taken locally I started googling local gardens. I was under the impression that what was out there was probably too big and expensive for us to use and probably owned by the National Trust or other such organisation. Having called the National Trust to enquire, we found the hourly rate to take pictures at a venue was slightly out of our budget! Luckily, I came across a number of websites listing smaller gardens in the uk to visit. It turns out as a nation of garden lovers, we have more gardens open to the public than anywhere else in the world!

I have listed some of the websites to check out below.

So I thought I would take this opportunity to write a little bit about me and Pentlebay; why I started the company and what I get up to day-to-day. 🙂

I’m Clare, 43, mum to Joseph and Mia.

Some facts about me…

• I’m originally from Cornwall and love being beside the sea.
• Pentlebay is named after my favourite beach on the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast.
• I live in Royston, Hertfordshire now and have lots of family here – including 14 nieces and nephews!
• My favourite treat is chocolate or anything sweet! 
• Anyone that knows me will say that I always feel the cold, I live for the warmer months! In winter, I am always found under a blanket or near the fire.
• My favourite holiday was to Rome & Naples before we had children. I hope to take the kids back there one day!

Hi everyone! We hope you are keeping well and staying safe during this second lockdown. With just over 5 weeks to go (!!) until Christmas, and as a family with young kids, we’re taking this stay at home opportunity to get into the festive spirit a little earlier this year. From present purchases to thinking about how we’re going to decorate the house, Christmas is very much on the radar in our household! So with this festive cheer in mind, our #RoystonTuesdayTalks series is all about flowers. Here we are chatting to the hugely talented Ashley from Forever Flowers 😊. Enjoy…

Hello Autumn… one of THE most beautiful times of year! The leaves are changing colours, the air is crisp, the light is golden…everything about this season is simply breath-taking! I know as a family we’ve certainly enjoyed going on lots of crisp Autumnal walks this month, in and around our lovely hometown of Royston…

#ShoppingLocal is something we’re super passionate about, both as a family and at Pentlebay, so with the festive (present buying!) season fast approaching, we thought we’d add a sprinkle of sparkle to this month’s #RoystonTuesdayTalks and chat to the lovely Gaby of EllaEver Design 😊. Enjoy…

#SupportingLocalBusiness is something we’re really passionate about at Pentlebay Clothing. This has inspired us to create a monthly #RoystonTuesdayTalks series – where we chat to other local businesses from our lovely hometown in Royston, Hertfordshire.

& this month we’ve had the pleasure of chatting to the hugely talented Artist Katie Moulton 😊. Enjoy…

As you may know already, #SupportingLocalBusiness has always been something we’ve cared about at Pentlebay Clothing. Following this year’s events, it is now, (more than ever), so important that we celebrate and support our fellow locals. This has inspired us to create a monthly #RoystonTuesdayTalks series – where we’ll be chatting to other businesses from our lovely hometown in Hertfordshire.

So, to sweeten the deal and kick this series off, we thought we’d start with a Q&A with Kelly Da Silva Fernandes from Kelly's Kitchen 😊. Enjoy…