Styling our Wool Scarves for the most gorgeous couples shoot at Dunnottar Castle, and a lovely cosy catch up with the photographer Jenny Macdonald of Liminal Wonderland.
At the end of Summer we had the absolute pleasure of collaborating with Jenny MacDonald of Liminal Wonderland Photography on a couples shoot at the stunning location of Dunnottar Castle. Jenny is a wedding and elopement photographer who splits her time between Melbourne and Scotland, and having been online friends (and mutual admirers of each other’s work) for some time now we finally met for the first time this Summer, and hatched a plan for a collaboration!
I chose some of my favourite wool scarves for the shoot, and wanted to show them styled in a way that felt natural and ‘unposed’ – which Jenny expertly caught on camera with her flair for capturing real moments. She perfectly put our volunteer couple at ease, making them laugh and appear completely natural on camera.
I wanted to show that our scarves are to be worn for real life moments! I know I can be guilty as anyone for saving my lovely pieces to only be worn for special occasions, but these scarves are too good to be kept in a drawer. Wear them and love them for all those moments you’re out exploring with your favourite people – beach walks after a rain storm, Autumn explorations through the woods filling your pockets with conkers, or meeting friends for coffee and cake. Textiles hold stories and memories when we wear them during all those real life moments, even the seemingly mundane ones! My hope is that these scarves will be passed on through generations, with the new wearer creating their own memories wearing the piece, while also having a feeling of the old stories that the fibres hold.
Now speaking of coffee and cake, lets grab a hot drink and have a catch up with Jenny to tell you all about our collab!
Hi Jennifer!
It was so lovely to finally meet you in person this Summer – shall we start by telling folks how we came to know each other?
A: So it’s a funny story! My sister Lisa first introduced me to your scarves. and I became a fast fan! My mum bought me one of your silk scarves as a Christmas present, then at my birthday they gave me a wool scarf as a joint present. I continuously stalked you on instagram, until we finally met over summer to do a joint collaboration of photography and scarves!
I’d love to know how you got in to wedding photography and portraiture – what is it about this area of photography that ticks all the boxes for you?
A: wow tough question! I used to love watching rom coms with my mum, the big happy ending wedding at the end! Sleepless in Seattle, 4 weddings and funeral, Overboard! Give us anything with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russel. We are a smoochy romantics some of my favourite memories with Mum was watching these.
I also grew up surrounded by photographs, art, fashion and memories. My Nana was a massive story teller, I spent a lot of time at her house as well. Every photo album in my Nana’s house had a story, she’d take them out and start telling me about these amazing adventures, people, life events, plus she always had a story or a memory to share. It fascinated me as a child, I grew up in her kitchen, almost every day with a cup of tea and shortbread biscuits listening to Nana telling me stories and memories. I never for one second thought that would somehow connect into wedding photography. I went on to study photography for 5 years, I excelled with documentary photography, I worked In the theatre industry for years learning movement and watching directors. I worked for so many studios over the next 8 years never quite fitting…..but fast forward to 2018 where a friend asked me to shoot their wedding. I was so nervous! I’m standing on the beach in Lorne, Australia, the ceremony just ended and this massive storm rolls in onto the beach out of nowhere, dark clouds, crazy rain, wind (insane wind!), everyone starts running, and I start yelling ‘no no stop, I started snapping away, the dress is blowing in the wind, hair flying, everyone huddles umbrellas, and I though this will make a great story! That was it (boom lightbulb moment) everything fit together.
Sure enough those images are some of the couples favourite images. The dress, the scarves flowing in the wind, the flower girls are cuddling into the bride so close and everyone is laughing and huddling together, and that’s when I realised, I want to just photograph weddings.
I love the fact no two weddings are the same, no two stories are the same, there is an unpredictability aspect on a wedding day that I love! Plus the gorgeous, gowns, shoes, kilts, suits, the tiny details that can sometimes go unnoticed by people. It’s a great big beautiful day. Oh my goodness do I sound too ridiculously smoochy haha! I am a hopeless romantic!
So from what I get from your style and the messages you put across on social media we have a common theme in our work – telling stories through imagery! What elements in a photograph make a good story for you?
A: I had a lecturer at uni give me a valuable lesson, ‘the camera is last thing you pick up, it is merely there to record the moment you have created, the camera is to you what a paint brush is to the painter’. How you get to the moment in the photograph doesn’t involve a camera it’s about you as a person. It’s a weird concept I hope that makes sense, but that is what makes a great photographer! It’s a lesson I have held onto my whole career.
So many people think the camera has to be amazing, your editing style has to be perfect, you need the latest gear etc… false! Photography is about the photographers ability to create a connection with people in order to take a photograph. My biggest skill is in how I interact with people, the trust, the bond the connection I make with people, is more about photography than the actually photographing part. During the course of meetings with people before you book me, the build up to the wedding, on the wedding, I never talk about photography, most people on their wedding day barely notice I’ve taken any images. What they remember is the conversations we had. The whole time all we talk about is them, I ask questions about their story their family, memories etc… then on the wedding day as you nervously standing there having some photos take I’ll say ‘ remember on your first date you told a silly joke? Tell her again but whisper it in her ear’ then I wait for the reaction and that’s the photo I take. Then when you look at that image that’s what you remember, and that’s what creates lasting lifetime memories. And years late you’ll look at that image and you’ll tell the whole story of how that photo was taken, but at the same time I’ve made you remember your first date. Goodness I hope that makes sense to everyone haha. In a nutshell I’m all about planting memories with in memories (it’s like inception but for photography haha, maybe I should put that on my website)
We are both also really inspired by the Scottish landscape – I loved your shots on Skye this year, so moody and atmospheric! Can you tell me a bit about some of your favourite Scottish photography locations and if you have any hidden gems in the North East we need to know about? Why is Scotland such an inspiration to you?
A: Thank you for that! Skye is so stunning! Scotland in general is just beautiful, the wonderful thing about Scotland is the unpredictability, constantly changing!
Ok so favourite locations in Scotland that’s not the North East
- Cairngorms – purely because it has deep rooted meaning and connection to my family. We have gone there every year with the whole family since I was 2 or 3.
- Isle of Harris, so beautiful, the beaches, the remoteness, the hard windy, rocky, difficult nature of Harris is so beautiful plus home to tweed and my favourite gin!
- The Devils Pulpit In Loch Lomond – It used to be off the beaten track but now it’s quite touristy. But a fun spot if you can time it away from people!
Top locations In the north East
So Aberdeen and North East is actually ultimately my favourite. My favourite locations.
- Balmedie Beach – I’m obsessed with those sand dunes, only shot landscapes there never people though.
- Pennan, gorgeous village! Insane drive down to the village so steep, I love it when the waves are crashing onto the streets. It feels like your stepping back in time.
- Torry Battery – It’s undeniable the view there of Aberdeen! I love the cafe there Grey hope cafe and the work they are doing dolphin spotting. Awesome spot it sit have a coffee, piece of cake and stop just look at the view and let your brain just switch off!
- Of course Dunnotter Castle it’s amazing! Where else in the world has a castle perched on top of a cliff like that!
Hidden gems – Cairn walk behind Balmoral Castle. There’s a giant Pyramid at the top why is no one talking about this more and it has the most beautiful plaque on it “To the Beloved Memory of Prince Albert, the Great and Good Prince Consort, Erected by his Broken-hearted Widow, VICTORIA R. 21st August 1862” gets me every time, a love story to the end.
A recent favourite – Newburgh seal beach – wow fascinating, when all the seals are gathered together and roaring it sounds so hauntingly beautiful, almost ghostly. You can see how people created the stories of the Selkies, they are such fascinating creatures to watch and they themselves are so curious about us!
The rooftop of the art gallery. I don’t think many people venture outside of the top floor of the gallery, or do they know you can? Every time I’m up there it’s deserted. But I love the view of all the rooftops surrounding the gallery. When it’s a bit sunny you can see Aberdeen sparkle.
Ok so why is Scotland an inspiration that is something I’ve only been able to answer recently after spending years away. I spent a large part of my youth dying to escape Scotland, I didn’t feel connected to home, I was chasing a dream of seeing the world and searching fro where I fit in (you know typical late teen, 20 year old stuff haha)
A: I was lucky enough to have a job that did take me all over the world. I met the most incredible people, I met my Husband in Melbourne, I’ve photographed in some of the most beautiful places, I ticked off my dream goal seeing the Amazon Rainforest and it lived up to the hype. But let me tell you one thing the life of an expat isn’t for the feint hearted, I will always love my time away, the memories I made in my youth, dancing on the streets of Venice at 2am, running around New York eating hotdogs. Hiking through the Amazon Rainforest, driving across Canada and capturing the last Cowboys. Being chased through a market in Panama, almost being robbed in Mexico. Dancing on a beaches at sunset in some of the most amazing locations across the world. I have two homes and will forever be divided. The world has my youth, my mistakes, where I learned who I was, where I grew as an artist, where I fell in love, got engaged, had a child. Scotland has my heart, my family, my roots, my past. Scotland became the only place I wanted to discover, and I have spent the last few years rediscovering Scotland and all it’s beauty.
Let’s talk about the Dunnottar shoot we collaborated on in September. It was fab to watch you work, you were great at putting the couple at ease and making them laugh. It really shows in the photos! Is this a skill you’ve always had or something you’ve built on over the years?
A: It’s defiantly something I’ve built on.But it’s also just who I am as a person in general, personality has a lot to do with it. I truly believe that at some point in your life everyone needs to have worked in customer service, that will train you for life in how to communicate with people. How you are treated sometimes by customers will make you a better person, as you will never want anyone to feel the way you have.
And what about the location itself! Dunnottar was a spectacular spot for a photoshoot. I got such a sense that you are up for adventure in your shoots and embrace whatever the Scottish weather throws at you!. Can you tell me a bit about why this place is special to you and about the planning and thought that you put in before the day of the shoot?
Dunnottar is magical the tagline on their website is ‘once seen never forgotten’ so true! It’s surrounded by the raging North Sea which is not forgiving at all. Everyone who is anyone has been there the picts, the pope, Mary Queen of Scots, William Wallace, Vikings, King Charles the 2nd, someone had a pet lion there. Clearly popular by all major historical figures. It’s also built on top of what is called the pudding rock, what a wonderful name. Dunnottar also has everything, castle, cliffs, forrest, beach, that whole other world vibe, you can almost hear the past coming thundering out of the gates riding the white horses of the North Sea. I don’t think a spot has ever been more steeped in History, beauty and drama and boy do I love drama! It was the most fitting place to photograph your scarves! Dunnottar captures the essence of the North East, and with also the ancient legends, stories, beauty combines with your scarves that are steeped in Scottish legends, stories and beauty it was a perfect combination.
Ok now let’s talk scarves! Going back to the theme of storytelling – what I love about having my designs on fabrics is that they are worn and become part of people’s memories and experiences, even the everyday ones! So can you tell me if you have a favourite scarf of ours and any special places you’ve worn it or memorable moments while wearing it?
A: Don’t make me pick one! That’s hard, I have three of yours and it really depends on my mood. So I’ll go with which one is my favourite today. Loving refraction, I love the oversized nature that you can be wrapped up in it. There’s always something new I discover when I wear your scarves, a new detail I missed. They can be worn from different sides so I love the fact (well to me) that there is no right way up, it’s like choose your adventure. But as I’ve been sat here writing about castles and home it defiantly sums up home. Scotland can be like a fairytale, it’s a place where your imagine can run free. Your scarves feel like it’s captured that essence of Scotland and story telling, stories that have passed down through generations. Your imagination has run free onto a scarf and people get to wear them how cool is that! This scarf was also given to me a birthday present from my family so it’s really special, I always get amazing compliments when I wear it to the point it got stolen (how rude!) I was lucky enough to be able to come in possession of another though and will keep it close.
I love to wear your scarves when I shoot weddings actually, I have one my mum bought me it has women on it in a circle I can’t remember the name. It gives confidence, and it’s about women, the connection of women and stories and it’s a bit of ancient girl power haha. But it’s beautiful and sometimes you need something that can ground you and remind you of the why in all the noise.
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