Lady’s Experience Modeling at A Lovely Workshop in France

Today I want to share about my experience modeling at A Lovely Workshop in France. This week-long wedding photography workshop at a chateau near Poitiers was beautiful.

A Lovely Workshop

Chateau St Julien lies in the middle of the French countryside in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It stands stately among 56 acres of green land and old stone buildings in Saint-Julien-l’Ars.

Among the previous owners have been ancient Romans, 19th-century French nobles, a group of enterprising nuns, and, more recently, an eclectic theater company.

The Romans built a vast stretch of underground tunnels around the chateau to escape enemy attacks.

In the less distant past, amateur botanist owners undertook to plant bamboo forests and giant redwood trees near the old empty graves of the previous inhabitants.

The chateau itself spoke the stories of its owners, from the secret medieval staircase to the turreted towers overlooking the long green allee.

My presence at Chateau St Julien was thanks to Elizabeth Messina, an acclaimed wedding photographer from Southern California.

She created and planned A Lovely Workshop for wedding photographers from around the world.

A friend of mine who’s a model in Los Angeles recommended Elizabeth invite me to France to model for the workshop. Elizabeth liked the look of me, and she asked us both to come work for the week.

Modeling for A Lovely Workshop

I arrived at Chateau St Julien near Poitiers on Sunday evening after a 6-hour layover in Paris. I got there in time for the first of many amazing dinners prepared by the week’s incredible team of chefs. From there the whirlwind began.

Not only did I meet inspiring people and well-known photographers, but also the group of amazing attendees at A Lovely Workshop.

From Monday to Thursday I was in hair and makeup in the mornings and modeling all day. Given it’s been a while since my Face of Ascot days, I’d almost forgotten how exhausting it can be.

With all the hair, makeup, clothing changes, running around outside and inside, standing, sitting, walking, running, jumping, and holding sill, modeling is hard work.

For the first shoot we wore mime makeup paired with beautiful bridesmaid dresses. The shoot took place outside in a leafy grove of trees.

The next day we modeled gorgeous wedding dresses and beautiful bridal headpieces. The photo shoots rotated between the brilliant green fields outside the chateau and the soft light of the interior rooms and hallways.

On Thursday we were back in bridesmaid dresses for a photo shoot around a beautiful antique piano that had been set up in the woods.

Friday we stepped aside and let the dinner table work the camera. It was set up in the allee that night for a beautiful al fresco meal.

There was an intense session in which 30 people swarmed the table snapping every detail of the ribbons, roses, and wine.

Instead of modeling, my job was to keep the candles lit. It sounded easy, but the wind made it a Sisyphean task. By the time we sat down to eat I was exhausted.

Saint-Julien-l’Ars

Between photo shoots and helping out with various projects, there wasn’t much time to explore the chateau and Saint-Julien-l’Ars. But one of my fellow models and I snagged some free time on Friday afternoon.

We walked around the grounds, exploring old buildings full of antique furniture. We wandered through the beautiful green spaces and past the moss-covered statue of Joan of Arc.

After exploring the chateau, we ventured into the town of Saint-Julien-l’Ars, meandering through the church and its adjacent graveyard.

We strolled up to the small shops and down the side streets, enjoying the warm weather and the quiet of the day.

Poitiers

Saturday was our last day in France, and I spent the afternoon in Poitiers before taking the train back to Paris. The city felt huge in comparison with the tiny town I’d been in all week.

I enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant, then walked off the calories for the next three hours as I ducked in and out of churches, walked down quiet medieval streets, and photographed every beautiful detail I found.

When I finally got on the train to Paris I fell asleep almost immediately. The week had taken more out of me than I realized.

After all the excitement, I was ready to get home and start seeing the photos that resulted from everyone’s hard work, talent, and eye for beauty.

The week had been an inspiring one for photographers, artists, and models alike. It was truly a lovely workshop.

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