THE APPRENTICE
NAME: Natacha Murphy
CAMERA: Nikon Z 7II
Natacha moved to the UK from her native France over 25 years ago and now resides in a picturesque village in the Cotswolds. By day she’s an insurance manager, but uses her downtime to run a burgeoning photography business with her husband and fellow photographer Garry. As Natacha looks to take on more commercial shoots, she’s hoping Carol’s methodology for botanical masterpieces will be rife with transferable skills. www.cotswoldphotographers.com
THE PRO
NAME: Carol Sharp
CAMERA: Nikon D800
Carol is an award-winning photographer and fine artist. Her work has been exhibited in New York, Barcelona and all over the UK, and her client base includes a variety of big brands such as Waitrose, M&S and Yardley. Carol’s botanical portraits have been published widely, most notably as posters for RHS Chelsea Flower Show and two sets of Royal Mail stamps. With Carol’s knowledge and garden at Natacha’s disposal, we’re expecting a fine bouquet of Super Shots. Find out more: www.carolsharp.co.uk
When Natacha arrived at Carol’s converted barn, East Anglia was living up to its reputation as the driest region in the UK. While much of the country was dogged with intermittent downpours, Norfolk was graced with blue skies, cumulus clouds and a generous helping of sunshine. The pro invited her apprentice to sit at a dining table laden with bread, hummus and olives, as she prepared a pot of tea in the neighbouring kitchen.
“Would you say this is perfect weather?” asked Natacha as she gazed through the French windows and onto the 3.5-acre grounds. The pro raised her voice above a bubbling kettle: “We can definitely work with it.” She soon appeared with a chittering tray of beverages: “We’re lucky we’ve got a little cloud to break up and diffuse the light. Clear skies are too harsh.”
Camera: Nikon Z 7II
Lens: 105mm f/2.8
1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO80
