A Weekend in Cornwall: More Than Just a Property Photoshoot
- Amy
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
A few months ago I quietly disappeared for a working weekend by the sea. I couldn't say too much about it at the time, but now the property photoshoot edits are finally out in the world, I can share what I was actually doing.
I was in Coverack, tucked away on Cornwall's beautiful south coast, spending 48 hours at Battery Cottage on behalf of the lovely team at Sawday's. On paper, it was a property & lifestyle photography commission. In reality, it became so much more than that for me.
The brief wasn't simply to photograph a beautiful holiday cottage. It was to capture the feeling of staying there. To create photographs and video that would help someone scrolling online stop for a second and think, I'd love a weekend there. To do that, you have to experience it yourself.
Capturing the real moments
For two days, Battery Cottage became home. I unpacked my bags, made coffee in the kitchen, wandered down to the harbour, picked up pastries, sat on the terrace with a glass of wine and watched how the light moved around the cottage from morning until evening.
Those little moments weren't just things to photograph. They became part of understanding the space and the story we wanted to tell.
Alongside photographing every room, I spent time styling each space so it felt warm, inviting and naturally lived in. I always travel with a car full of bits and pieces for shoots like these (probably more than I should!) because sometimes it's the smallest details that bring a scene to life. Fresh flowers, beautiful food, soft linens, books, blankets... it's never about filling a room for the sake of it, but adding those subtle touches that help people picture themselves there.
Over the weekend I photographed slow breakfasts in bed, cream teas after walks along the coast, cosy corners with books, coffee moments, evenings on the terrace with wine and all those little in-between moments that make a stay memorable. The sort of things you actually do on holiday, rather than perfectly polished scenes that don't feel real.
Not just a property photoshoot
At the same time, I was also capturing video content throughout the stay. Short, natural clips that Sawday's can now use across their social media and marketing, alongside the photography. It's something more and more of my clients are asking for, and I love being able to offer both without needing separate shoots.
I think this project sums up how I work better than almost any other. People often ask what kind of Photographer I am, and honestly, the answer is that it depends on what my client needs - as long as it sits within Brand & Business photography.
Sometimes I'm photographing products for a small business. Sometimes I'm documenting an event. Sometimes I'm capturing food for a restaurant. And sometimes, like this, I'm blending property photography, lifestyle imagery, styling the space and video creation into one project. No two shoots ever look the same.
That's probably my favourite part of the job.
I don't believe every client should fit neatly into a package. Instead, I adapt every shoot around the story they're trying to tell. Sometimes that means spending a couple of hours together. Sometimes it means disappearing to a Cornish cottage for an entire weekend, living in the space and documenting it as naturally as possible.
The result is a gallery that feels authentic. One that doesn't just show what somewhere looks like, but what it feels like to wake up there, drink your morning coffee there or come back after a windswept walk along the coast.
Because beautiful photography isn't really about the property itself.
It's about helping someone imagine themselves inside the story.
And those are always my favourite projects to be part of.
This stay was paid for shoot by Saw Days, with weekend stay included.
You can book 'Battery Cottage' and see the photos I captured for the Sawday's team, by visiting their website to book your own Cornish stay.
Girl Behind The Lens is a brand photographer based in Devon and Cornwall, capturing and supporting independent businesses across the South West, creating content & marketing.
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