Rain’s in fashion

The Windmill on Wimbledon Common was the perfect location for our Elys AW17 fashion shoot. With long meadow grass and late summer sun light we were aiming for 70s retro vibe for this transitional season with it’s earthy tones, layering and cosy knits. Only a month’s worth of rain in 36 hours could have prevented this shoot from being utterly gorgeous, but not even that could hold back our crack team.

The opening shot was our priority, the rain satellite showed a ten minute break in the torrential rain so we geared up to nail this shot.

The iconic windmill looks majestic in it’s 200th year, dominating the landscape. The Windmill Museum have done an impressive job restoring the sales in time for this year’s bicentenary celebrations and we are extremely grateful to Asif Malik who generously hosted us for the day.

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It was bucketing down for the rest of the day so we had to ‘work’ with the rain, using the  tree canopy as a natural of umbrella. John took a killer shot of this vampy look which ended up as the opening shot for the story.

Luckily we were able to step back in time using the interior of the Windmill Museum. The original artefacts dating back to the working windmill were fascinating.

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The team were so up for every suggestion, traipsing through the mud and rain, or climbing onto the windmill roof. The original vision for the shoot inevitably changed due to the weather conditions but the final images have a super Autumnal feel, perfect for the September edition.

Thank you to my exceptional team:

• Photographer: John McMurtrie
• Model: Leticia Herod
• Stylist: Helen Ford Canning
• Assistant: Emily Mitchell
• Hair: Sean Hanna
• Makeup: Bare Mineral by Dee Vasey
• Nanny: Veronika from Wimbledon Nannies*

*Renate from Wimbledon Nannies was amazing and found the perfect nanny for me for the day. The process was so easy, I was put in touch with Veronika so we could chat and meet up before the day. Veronika was brilliant on the day and just fitted in – nothing was a problem and my little 5 month old son thought she was ace.

How to direct a fashion shoot in the rain

Don’t panic, devise plan b in the day(s) before

• Create a strong back-up plan and communicate with your team as early as possible
• Find the nearest indoor locations either for shelter or alternative scenes
• Send out your call sheet with weather forecast & instructions for wet weather gear
• Be flexible with your story, either create a new one or work with your photographer to make the most of the conditions on the day

On the day

• Wellies and spares for the model just in case
• Bring plastic bags, see-through ones for camera equipment, black plastic for model to stand on if needed
• Bring lots of golf umbrellas, you can’t have enough!
• Keep the model under umbrellas until the second before shooting starts
• If you have time do some practise shots with the umbrellas so you can get it just right for when the umbrellas disappear
• Check live satellite weather conditions on your mobile for rain breaks
• Keep the team focussed on the end goal
• Hot drinks and bacon sandwiches to stop spirits being dampened

 

 

 

 

Selfie

 

As part of our 20th anniversary year celebrations at Time & Leisure Magazine, the ed team interviewed a working mum close to home to open the section….

Many readers aren’t aware of the people behind the scenes of a publishing house, they know the editor, possibly the sales team, so this editorial was a great opportunity to connect with our female readership who are often doing their own juggling act with work and kids.

My scrumptious five month old son comes into work with me nearly every week and
attended his first board meeting at just 8 weeks old. I’m lucky to have such a supportive team who accept Otis breastfeeding whilst we work. It’s not always ideal, it can be distracting and exhausting but I feel priviliedged to be in the position that I can enjoy both work and family.

Not used to being in front of the camera, I asked the best photographer I know to capture these lovely family pics. My brother Joe popped in to take these shots on our way to a family birthday party, so we were busy making cakes and too excited to sit still for long. In a parallell universe I wouldn’t be looking so sleep deprived or have my daughter arrive home with make-up by her 6 year old best friend, but I was so proud that she chose Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls to read – she’s so cool.

As ever, Time & Leisure magazine is a real family affair and I love it for that.

The August is out now, read it online and turn to page 76 or scroll down

 

 

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Cake-boy Eric Lanlard

Time & Leisure magazine offices were buzzing with excitement when French patisserie TV chef Eric Lanlard arrived laden with boxes of the most exquisite cakes for our October front cover shoot. We are all massive fans of Eric Lanlard who was the star of the show at Time & Leisure’s Food & Drink Awards earlier in the week. He is in high demand and this week he also appeared on This Morning, the day the Queen held the longest reign. Being a TV chef isn’t just about Royal TV appearances and P&O cruises, Eric Lanlard told us he’d been working in the kitchen from 5am but he remained utterly charming throughout the shoot. Our Prince of Puddings left us with the most difficult decision to make, not which image to choose for the cover which is a tricky one, but which one of the most delicious cakes I ever seen to eat first, the team finished the cakes in about 3 seconds.

Scandi Seasonal Table

I loved shooting this beautiful Scandinavian inspired table setting for the December edition. The team were brilliant, organised by our editor Kate, table setting created by our interiors writer Debbie Blott, products supplied by local advertisers and shops and all shot in one of our readers beautiful home in Wimbledon. 100% Christmas in Wimbledon!

September Cover Shoot

Celebrating our 10 year anniversary of the Clapham, Battersea & Fulham edition of Time & Leisure magazine, the team asked for a special cover featuring some of our customers products. I spent ages wondering how to make a cover image from the candles and candlesticks, but I had the good fortune to be staying at my brother’s house in Balham which provided the inspirational setting. With a choice of beautiful vintage fireplaces and my sister in laws’ impeccable interior design taste, the setting came together with ease on the day with the simple addition of some divine cupcakes. After all, what more do we really ever want than cake and candles on our birthday!

Papa Kane

I had a good time taking Dad’s portrait for the magazine, he just wanted to have fun. I also wanted to capture the serious, thoughtful and wise side of him too, as well as the person who is my very special Dad.

Expensive Taste in September Time & Leisure

Don’t miss this fab new mens feature: The most expensive suit in the world, by Zoey Goto, in Septembers’ Time & Leisure magazine out today.

There are lots of brilliant features this month, highlights include celebrity chef John Torode on living in South-west London, Jenny Eclair on tour, plus an exclusive interview with Darcey Bussell

Happy reading and happy bank holiday lovely people!

September edition of Time & Leisure is out today, and online www.timeandleisure.co.uk

Top 5 Marketing Tips

by Lucy Kane, Creative Director at Time & Leisure

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Getting marketing right is important for all businesses, but it can be even more challenging for people in local businesses who are often juggling lots of jobs. 15 years sales and marketing experience at Time & Leisure has given me a valuable insight into what makes successful advertising. So I’ve put together my top 5 marketing tips to help you get a better response from your marketing.

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1. KISS – Keep It Simple, Sexy
To make an impact and grab attention, your advert needs one strong clear message.

2. Plan your campaign
Don’t create last minute adverts – plan a year ahead.

3. Target your dream customer profile
Draw a picture of your perfect customer and then target everything you do at them.

4. Repeat, repeat, repeat…
The magic number is 12 – advertise monthly through the year to build trust with the readers and your response will increase significantly.

5. Engage your audience
Don’t let them walk away – tell the reader what to do next and give them a reason to do it.

Read the full article about how to apply these practical tips to your marketing and give your advertising a boost this summer.

If you’d like some further help, check out my one day image makeover, it’s a great way to refresh your look, get new ideas and tune into our readers to make your advertising more effective. It’s a cost effective way to get more out of your marketing budget and save you time.

Have a great summer!

Lucy Kane

http://www.timeandleisuremedia.co.uk
http://www.lucykane.co.uk

Photo courtesy of Andy Newbold

At home with Ben De Lisi

Ben De Lisi was on the phone to the States when I arrived. He’s a busy man but spared me ten minutes to get some shots for the August edition of Time & Leisure. He’s just finished designing his sensational home in Battersea which we’re featuring in this months’ Interior Guide.

He was wearing a crisp, white shirt contrasting healthily with his tan fresh from Mikanos. After a quick hair restyle and ‘Is this shirt ok?” check, he struck a pose on his stairs, adorned with modern art. Those steely grey eyes sparkled like Mediterranean seas in the midday sun and oozed American confidence.

His dogs took little persuasion to join him in the garden for the second pose of the day. They adore each other, and a few little growls let me know they weren’t too sure of the camera. But it was Ben who reminded me time was up and as I was ushered out the door he waved me off with the wish it makes the front cover.

Blimey – no pressure Ben!

Doing Bird with John

Founder of the Big Issue and godfather of social enterprise, John Bird took me under his wing at the Hub in Kings Cross, and as we shot these pictures he talked about his passions for art, publishing and social change.

His portrait changed dramatically as he talked emphatically about a huge variety of subjects, from the history of William Morris at Merton Abbey Mills, to being at school at St Thomas More in Chelsea where my father and mother taught, fell in love and got married. Although he was kicked out of school, John has made it his business to be educated about most things in life and whilst leading life on the edge, amongst other things, he has made a huge impact on homeless people all over the world.

My portraits of John are for the lead interview next month in Time & Leisure, these are my top three, which one do you think they’ll pick?

Do something good today and buy a copy of the Big Issue! Click on the images to see a larger version.