Angelic Art at All Saints Church

In 2021, I decided to take part in the Leamington Photo Fest, a festival focused on capturing the essence of Warwickshire through photography. As an enthusiast of angel and fairy imagery, I envisioned shooting an angel within the historic All Saints Church in Leamington Spa. With full consent from the church, I was granted free reign to capture the space. However, on the day of the shoot, my original model couldn’t make it, but I chose to go ahead with the shoot regardless.

To create Messenger in White, I shot three exposures to capture the dynamic range of the church's interior, from the detailed stained-glass windows to the darker shadows of the building. The final image was produced using High Dynamic Range (HDR) techniques to bring out the rich textures and lighting.

Afterward, I arranged a quick shoot with Lauren Howard, who was excited to step outside of her usual style. Though this image is a departure from her usual work, Lauren embraced the opportunity to try something new.

For the angel’s wings, I used a photo of a swan I had taken at Jephson Park in Leamington Spa. The result is a striking blend of reality and fantasy, creating an ethereal, angelic figure in a sacred space.

At the Gallery Photiq exhibition, someone commented, “That can’t be real. They would never have had permission to stand there at the church.” I had to laugh, as while my model was added digitally, I did indeed have permission to photograph her in the church. Ironically, I thought the large, white wings emerging from her back were a more obvious indication that this was a composite image!

Total shots used: 5.

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