Park Hall Country Park Engagement Shoot | Olivia & Luke

Wandering Amongst This National Nature Reserve

Olivia & Luke sadly had to postpone their wedding which was to take place at The Upper House in Barlaston this year. As you can imagine they were one of my unfortunate couples who’s wedding day was brought into disarray following the Corona Virus pandemic. So with their wedding plans on hold for another year, they decided to take me up on an engagement shoot at Park Hall to mark this moment in time. 

Although I only live 15 minutes away from Park Hall Country Park I’d never actually been. These varied hills with a rich past are now Stoke-on-Trent’s only National Nature Reserve. It takes its name from the Hall which once stood to the south of the current parkland.

I love to photograph my engagement shoots within locations where the landscape changes repeatedly to give a variety of photographs. Park Hall is so interesting because of the varied landscape which includes sandstone canyons, a lake, heathland, woodland and hills which give a vast view over the city.

With us starting as the sun was going down it was a race to photograph the last available light within the canyon before we remained in shadow. I love shooting wide photographs when there are vast structures like these canyon cliffs

At the top of one of the hills is an old disused QL Site which was used in wartime to cause deceive the enemy of nearby important radio and aerodrome targets. We used one of its walls for Olivia and Luke to take a break and sit beneath the gorgeous Stoke-on-Trent sky.