Retreat Photography in East Sussex - Joel Lawton - In Your Corner

Earlier in May I was delighted to join the lovely Joel Lawton of In Your Corner to capture a special retreat, ‘Your Away Day’, at a gorgeous venue near Lewes in East Sussex.

Joels Away Days exist to support overwhelmed founders, biz owners & solopreneurs to take a step outside of their busy everyday, reclaim space for themselves to get present, work ‘on’ their business not ‘in’ their business, get inspired, and be nourished in all the ways.

Hosted at the beautiful Flint Barn it was a peaceful, beautiful location for connection, reflection, big thinking and getting work done, with the most gorgeous catering and hosting by Field Food.

Before the day, Joel & I shared conversations to learn more about what he’s creating and what he’d love to come away with in terms of photos.

We wanted these photos to have a reportage style, conveying the warm and inclusive nature of the day, the details that make it special, the connection, the inspiring surroundings.

I asked questions to understand what was important to him about the aesthetic of the images, the stories he wanted them to tell, and what we wanted future participants to know about the events through the photos. This helped me to create a shot-list and navigate photographing the day in a way that was as discreet as possible, while also ensuring we captured what he needed.

These Away Days are an invitation for participants to connect with what’s really going on for them as a person and professional, to get intentional about how they’d love for things to shift, and move in the direction of a more balanced and fulfilling life and business.

Within the structure of the event, there’s plenty of freedom to choose what it is you need at any time; a chat with your new (or old!) friends, solitude to crack on with your project from the comfort of the barn or the lush garden, a walk in nature, contemplation by the fire pit, or a powerful coaching session to get clarity with Joel. It was such a pleasure to document!

I had no idea who’d be there, but it turned out I knew a few of the participants from my Brighton years, and it was extra lovely to see some familiar faces! Here are a few favourites to tell the story of the day. You can see Joels site here to learn more, find out more about his upcoming Away Days and coaching offerings.