RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2023

In the second week of July, I attended two days of RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. I’d been to the show with my family several years ago, so it was exciting to visit again and see how it has changed. 

Of all the RHS Shows, Hampton Court is my favourite. The festival atmosphere is more relaxed, and I found the show gardens full on inspiration for my garden at home. This year’s RHS Horticultural Hero was Carol Klein; she designed a stunning garden with views over the palace. Having watched her prepare on BBC Gardener’s World, it was a huge privilege to be able to see her garden almost empty, first thing in the morning on Press Day!

Before the show opening to the public, we ran a photoshoot with a group of professional models, to capture the essence of the show. In the weeks prior, I’d liaised with our model agency contacts to source and hire the models for the shoot. I created and shared a wardrobe brief, agenda and logistical information with my colleagues and the models, to make sure the photoshoot ran to schedule.

On the first official day of the festival, I was part of a small team assisting our photographer with capturing members of the general public enjoying the show. We scouted willing members of the public to be photographed, making sure we obtained everyone’s consent with model release forms.

While on site, I was also responsible for capturing and recording all our branded touchpoints at the show. Using my images, I created a comprehensive presentation to share with our shows, brand and design teams, gathering feedback and areas for improvement for each department.