Celebrating Love in between lockdown by the seaside
After chatting on the phone to Sophia as a last minute improvised photo shoot they were keen to have by the sea, Sophia and Chris attempted to turn up 24 hrs later in Suffolk where I was staying for a couple of days in a lovely quaint little cottage in Aldeburgh by the Suffolk Coast.
At 4.00 am on the morning of the photo shoot I received a text from Sophia saying their car had broken down and had to find other ways of transport!! They were so determined have the photo shoot, so by hook or by crook they made their way the following day, which meant they ended up doing a train and bus journey of 5 hours which i am immensely flattered!
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Their dream was to have a photo shoot by seeing the sunrise, so I got on the car and speeded up the country lanes on my 30 minute car journey to the location I had previously scouted, which reminded me of The Hamptons in USA!
After quickly introduction as I was meeting them for the first time in the beach car park where literally they had just been dropped of by a taxi at 6.30 am, we ran to the beach to start the photo session as the sun was rising from the sea horizon, the image above was literally my first image of the session !
They’ve had a very tough couple of months so this photo says a lot from what they’ve gone through; the tenderness, love, affection and wrapping each other in a safety warm blanket as protecting each other from the world around them.
How did you meet?
Sophia: We met whilst working at the same restaurant by the River Soar at a beautiful 17th Century Pub called The Plough Inn. One night we got chance to get to know each other over a nice pint and glass of wine with a Lock In and found we had a lot in common.
Chris: I was a chef and started in Sept 2018 where Sophia was working Front of House as a waitress and host. We became really good friends before our relationship just blossomed organically 6 months later.
Tell us a little bit about your story…
Sophia: After growing up in a quaint village of Sutton Bonington in the Midlands I ended up training hard from 4 years old and followed my dream to become a dancer, moved away to Bedford, graduated as Professional Dancer and went on to work with some famous and successful companies which took me all over the world including places like Israel and Dubai. I did a brief stint in Star Wars as a Caretaker Creature in 2017 whilst i was still working at The Plough. I ended up taking a break from Showbiz for a few years and ended up working my way up the ladder with a great team i had at the time to be a Restaurant Supervisor which is where i met Chris who i grew to love more and more and who made me the person i am today.
Chris : I was brought up in East Leake, also in the Midlands where i worked as a chef from the age of 16 years. I worked in pubs and restaurants but i had always had a love of climbing and the outdoors. I ended up getting a few stints working as a chef in a ski resort in Risoul where i developed a passion for Snowboarding and went back several times. Before returning i started a job at the Riverside Pub initially to get a few quid to save up to go abroad again. Neither I nor Sophia saw our relationship coming and so i then ended up staying at The Plough and hope to show her the slopes one day in the future.
Any anecdotes of funny stories about filming in Star Wars and working as a chef in the Ski resort ?
Sophia: During rehearsals for Star Wars we were asked to walk around the room like Chickens as part of the costume we later found out was chicken legs attached to our sides, which had us in stitches. Studying chicken behaviour was recommended. Also, before filming they took a mould of your entire body so that the costume would fit perfectly. I think it’s still there.
Chris: In Risoul whilst on season, I once burnt a pan of porridge so badly that embarrassingly it had to be cleaned with an industrial cleaner. I had completely forgotten about the pan and needless to say it put me off porridge!
What made you want to have a portrait session with Rossana ?
Sophia: After recently having a very hard time of things with having to resign from my job due to bullying and going through grief as well I had lost all my confidence and fell into depression and anxiety. I felt this photoshoot is just what i needed to take my mind off things and the situation.
Chris: A change of scenery was just what we needed and was very beneficial to us during this traumatic period.
Tell us what happened on the day of the photo shoot?
At 6.30am we had a Sunrise photoshoot in Walberswick by the sea which was so beautiful, incredibly cold but we were amazed to see people up at this time, Outdoor Swimming. We met a lovely lady called Clare who lent us her beach hut to do part of the shoot. We then travelled to another location for a few photos on Vintage bikes.
How did you get there?
We were originally supposed to have a shoot the day before but both our cars ended up breaking down and so last resort we got the train, which took us 5 hours with 4 changes.
Was it worth it and what you expected?
With all the events with this year of Covid and our personal situations it was exactly what was needed to shine a bit of light into our lives again and remind us to keep each other close. Rossana was amazing with us both, very friendly, personable, made you feel completely at ease and had an excited positive energy about her which uplifted our spirits. It was definitely better than what we expected.
What is the memory/ highlight you take with you from the day of the photo shoot apart from the photographs?
Apart from the photographs which are absolutely gorgeous and just capture who we are it was the whole experience, it was like a mini adventure and although tough it kept us battling through and ended up giving us hope for the future.
Looking out at the sunrise to those crashing waves whilst Rossana captured the moment being wrapped up in the blanket in each others arms, gave us a brief time of comfort, warmth and safety in all the hurt that was going on. Having Chris by my side, in that moment reminded me why it was worth carrying on in life.
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What are your plans for 2021?
To cherish each day with each other, to work on the house together
and to truly make a concerted effort towards our future adventures together, working in the Ski Chalets abroad, backpacking and globetrotting if Covid permits but also growing together in future projects whether that potentially might be in business, watch this space.
What do you wish for ?
Sophia: To spend my life with Christopher who i truly love and cherish, to resolve all my emotional baggage and to be happy, respected and loved for who i am. I want my family to be healthy, happy and whole.
Chris : I wish for a happy life with Sophia who i love dearly and the people i care about in my life.
A piece of advice or a mantra you live by ?
Sophia: You can tell a person’s nature by looking into their eyes ( the eyes are the window to the soul)
Always go for kindness over looks when choosing a partner.
Be true to yourself.
Chris: Do what makes you happy. There’s no problem in a house that can’t be solved with Duct Tape.
