"Portraits that speak. Landscapes that linger. Moments that matter. Photos with purpose — framed by feeling."

By Studio DJC

Last Saturday, I ventured deep into the New Forest with my camera, a couple of great mates, and the aim of capturing something that felt otherworldly. I’ve always found that when you’re surrounded by people who make you feel at ease, the creative energy flows so much more naturally. There’s no pressure, no judgement — just encouragement, laughs, and that feeling of being totally yourself. And being around other creative minds meant we could bounce ideas around, test things out, and build on each other’s momentum as the shoot evolved.

There’s something about the landscape of the New Forest — earthy, untouched, wild but elegant. It became the perfect stage for this ethereal shoot with one of my best friends as our focal muse. She wore a soft, flowy neutral dress that danced in the breeze, instantly giving off forest spirit energy. The way she moved, the trust we had, the openness to try anything — it all helped create a shoot that felt both deeply personal and visually rich. And honestly? She looked absolutely stunning.

The weather that day was absolute perfection — soft golden light, not too hot, not too cold, with a gentle breeze that gave movement to both fabric and foliage. It was the kind of day you dream of when planning a natural light shoot.

We didn’t have a set plan. The magic was in the moment. From climbing tree trunks to walking barefoot through bracken, we let the forest guide the shoot. The mix of soft fabric and harsh branches, light and shadow, movement and stillness, created such a cinematic contrast.

At one point we stumbled across a MASSIVE red ant mound. Like something out of David Attenborough. And not just spotted from a distance — my friend got a bit too close and ended up getting attacked by the little warriors. No lasting damage (except maybe to his pride), but it was one of those “remember forever” moments we couldn’t stop laughing about afterward.

It wasn’t just about the stills either. My mate brought along his DJI Avata drone — and it was a game changer. Watching him navigate through the trees with FPV goggles strapped on was like witnessing VR come to life. And let me tell you, the footage he got was unreal. I’ll share the drone video in this post too because it deserves its own spotlight.

Honestly, that drone made me itch to buy one. I’ve already got the gear envy and the Avata is now firmly on my wishlist. It adds a whole new dimension to storytelling — gliding shots, low swoops through the trees, even the occasional cinematic reveal from above. Obsessed.

But flying a drone — especially something as agile and fast as the Avata — isn’t just fun and games. It requires real focus and sharp awareness, because one wrong move or gust of wind and things can go from cinematic to chaotic in a heartbeat.

Back to the shoot: one of my personal goals going into this day was to get braver at directing and capturing people. Portraiture in a natural environment has always fascinated me, but I’ve often held back — not wanting to make people feel uncomfortable or over-posed. But this time, I leaned in. I gave prompts, experimented with angles, and embraced imperfection. My friend was a dream to work with — effortlessly expressive, and totally open to the creative flow. I focused on capturing subtle emotion, candid in-between moments, and quiet power in the way she moved. I let nature do half the styling, using the wind, the trees, and the changing light as collaborators in the shoot. It taught me that directing doesn’t always mean controlling — sometimes it’s just about creating space for authenticity to shine.

It also meant a lot to spend time with my friend Sean, who I hadn’t seen in nearly a year. Life gets busy, and sometimes months pass without seeing the people who mean the most — but when we finally caught up, it was effortless. We slipped right back into our usual rhythm, full of banter, shared creativity, and that unspoken support that defines real friendship.

One of the unexpected joys of the day was how many people stopped to chat. We had fellow walkers ask about the drone, the camera, even what we were shooting. It felt really encouraging to talk about what I do and see people genuinely interested. Sometimes when you’re deep in a creative zone you forget that what you’re doing can look really exciting to others.

We wrapped with some fun group shots and spontaneous ideas, including log piles and dramatic stares. It was playful, cinematic, and creatively refreshing.

I came away from this day reminded of how powerful it is to just create without pressure. No commercial agenda. No perfect lighting setups. Just people, nature, and art.

Until next time — keep creating, keep chasing light, and maybe… start saving up for that drone.

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You can explore more images from this shoot on my Flickr gallery — just click here to view the full collection.

Want to work together? Say hi via the About Me section on StudioDJC.com. I’d love to hear from you.