LSA International needed photos to go with a story on Chef Skye Gyngell and her approach to sustainability at Heckfield Place. The Australian Chef is esteemed for her work as food editor for Vogue – and for winning a Michelin Star in 2011 at the Petersham Nurseries Cafe. Now, she serves as Culinary Director at the luxury hotel’s restaurants, Marle and Hearth, where she utilizes the garden and farm of the 400-acre estate in Hampshire, England. LSA magazine reached out to London-based portrait photographer Dunja Opalko to help tell the story.
I worked with LSA on another shoot in London portraying Wolves Lane Flower Company for them. The shoot was commissioned by a creative director who I first worked with on an artist portrait about six years ago. We reconnected after all this time, and she kindly put me forward for the job.
LSA International (also known as Lubkowski Saunders and Associates) is a London-based brand known for their contemporary handmade glass and high-quality porcelain. Janusz Lubkowski and Tony Saunders established the company in 1973 to import giftware from Poland. LSA Magazine is the brand’s monthly lifestyle digital publication, focusing on design, sustainability, cuisine, and more.
Dunja’s familiarity with the brand, along with her specialties and photographic style, made her a great match for this new project.
LSA is a brand that tells stories and inspires their customers to live a sustainable life filled with deep connections between people and nature. In my work, I focus on portrait and interior photography to tell stories about people, their lives, their skills and places, for both editorial and commercial clients. LSA covers many of these elements in their online magazine, in which they visit inspiring people and places, and show how their range of products works within the setting. I try to convey a sense of calmness and a more minimalistic approach in my images, which I think further resonates with LSA’s overall look and feel.
Dunja, LSA’s two art directors, the marketing manager, and writer Alex Moshakis remotely preplanned the photoshoot.
We did most of the planning online, bouncing ideas and logistics back and forth via email. There was a lot to consider, so pre-production was key to a smooth shoot. I must say the art director did a fantastic job, and everything was well thought through. Skye Gyngell joined us during the shoot and that was the first time we spoke and met.
The luxury hotel and extensive grounds offered an idyllic backdrop to frame the profile.
Heckfield Place is a vast space with lots of things to discover. Skye showed us around the restaurants and the stunning surroundings, so during my time there, I wanted to focus on inviting the reader to become part of our journey and experience. I shot in a reportage and observing manner, capturing a mix of cropped images to include as much detail as possible, but also some wider shots to show those details in context.
Arriving at the hotel felt like truly escaping the busy London life. It’s about an hour on the train from central London and then another 15 minutes in the car until you arrive on the stunning grounds that span across 400 acres. It was a cloudy day, but that’s not unusual for the UK. For short shoots like this, I kind of prefer it to direct sunlight, as the clouds work as a natural diffuser, and I had the same light conditions at any given time.
The photoshoot took place in September 2022, and lasted for roughly four hours, from mid-morning to early afternoon.
We shot with only a small crew on set, consisting of myself, LSA’s art director Alice, and my assistant Antonio. We didn’t have much time, so the small team was great as we could move around quickly and easily to go with the flow. Even though we covered quite a lot between the chef, the hotel and the farm, inside and out, the atmosphere was relaxed and fun! Working with Alice on set was great and straightforward. She’s very kind and fantastic at her job.
With regard to working with Chef Skye as a subject, Dunja had this to say,
It’s very important to me to let the person I portray be themselves and not overpower them. I like to observe and to let situations unfold naturally within the schedule and brief of course. Giving the sitter space to feel comfortable and relaxed has always been a key aspect of my work. Skye was open and friendly during our shoot. She’s an incredibly inspiring, confident, and strong woman, who I admire for doing what she loves with such passion and dedication.
The extensive preplanning for the project helped the photoshoot proceed smoothly, within the allotted timeframe.
We had about 3 hours of actual shoot time to tick off quite a long shot list. As my approach to this shoot was a documentary and reportage photography style, we managed to move around quickly without spending a lot of time setting up. I used natural light and minimal equipment to be flexible. My assistant had everything ready in case I needed additional lighting or needed to reflect and fill in some light.
We were lucky that everything went well, the only downside was that I could have easily stayed for another week exploring the place! I really didn’t want to leave.
Each new project enriches Dunja’s life and career as a photographer.
Be it the interaction between the subjects and team, or seeing a new place, photography can open your eyes to new worlds. This job definitely boosted my gratitude levels as I felt very fortunate to have met some amazing people and to have visited such a magnificent place.
Dunja left us with some of her favorite memories from the visit to Heckfield Place.
We stumbled upon a lot of lovely little details throughout our visit. I particularly liked the row of wellies in a hallway, neatly arranged in order of shoe size ranging from kids to adults.
I also liked the chalkboard at the entrance informing the visitors of which seasonal food makes it straight from the farm to the plate.
I photographed a few of the amazing dishes in the restaurant, so tasting them after we finished shooting was a real treat!
See more of Dunja’s work on her website.
Further Reading
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