A relaxed and casual engagement session on the beautiful cliff top at Barton on Sea, Hampshire.

The sky put on a spectacular show for us at this lovely relaxed afternoon engagement session. It was very dramatic, with shafts of sunlight coming down through the dark clouds on what had turned into a surprisingly hot day. Now, of course, we all love a dramatic sky, but the cliff top being open, with no shade from trees or anything at all, can make taking photos there a bit tricky. The cloud cover was great for us, as it meant our lovely Becky and Tom could stand with the sun to their backs, so there was nice even lighting on their faces. We did try a few photos facing the sun when the cloud cover was heavy. These are the photos below that have the Isle of Wight in the background. You can definitely see that the sun is harsher when facing in this direction. This is a good example of when to put your trust in your photographer. We know about good and bad lighting and will 9 times out of 10, we will chose good lighting over a 'good' background. Not that you can have a 'bad' background here on the gorgeous Barton on Sea cliff top. There are beautiful views of the sea whichever way you stand!

We chose to have the engagement shoot on the cliff top, because this is where we will be doing the group photos and the Bride and Groom photos on the actual wedding day!

Usually, I do the engagement photos at a different location. It's more about the couple practising the poses than the location. Now, I can turn up at any location and be able to tell you exactly where the best spot for photos will be, based on the lighting and weather conditions. But I must admit, I did quite enjoy the fact that we were doing an actual 'practise run' of where we will be on the wedding day. It gave me a chance to see where the sun would be, and to do a little bit of a location scout for the quietest and prettiest spot. The weather could be completely different on the wedding day, but let's keep our fingers crossed for a nice warm day with a bit of cloud cover, so everyone doesn't get too hot! Especially the Bride! Bridal outfits can be very warm, especially if you have a lot of layers. Definitely something to keep in mind when wedding dress shopping, and when choosing your hair style for the big day.

I really enjoyed being on the cliff top in the sunshine. This was my local beach for several years and it's been my parent's local beach for more than 15 years, after growing up in London, so Barton on sea will always hold a special place in my heart.

Becky and Tom did really well in their session, especially considering they were a bit uncomfortable having their photos taken at first. Most people are, and it's perfectly reasonable to feel like everyone is looking at you, and to feel a bit self conscious. I love that you can see them relaxing as the session goes on, and by the end they were smiling and laughing and it definitely wasn't as much torture as they thought it would be!

I'm really looking forward to the big day next month. Becky and Tom are having a registry office ceremony followed by the reception in the pub where Tom is the chef! It all sounds like a lovely relaxed and chilled wedding, perfectly suited to this lovely relaxed and chilled out pair. I think there might be a little hint of romance on the big day too though...

Becky and Tom got engaged on Christmas day, after Tom has left a trail of little present notes for Becky to follow that led back to Tom and a beautiful engagement ring. How cute is that?! Definitely a romantic story, and I'm sure it's a treasured memory for both Becky and Tom. I'm sure their big day will have all the romance of their lovely proposal story.