BTS: How we shoot a new collection

When Terri and Allie put on their D&B swimsuits, danced to Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em and posted the video on Insta, they had no idea that they were auditioning for a photoshoot.

This set the tone for our shoot. And, as it turns out, brilliant customers, beautiful swimwear, a crack-team of hard-working D&B colleagues, serious camera skills and a hefty dose of silliness is the perfect recipe for amazing photos.

Come behind the scenes with us on our most recent But First, Me shoot.

But first, models

We first met Jude when she won an Instagram competition. When we found out that she was friends with the TikTok dancing swimming stars Terri and Allie, we knew that we had our models. Did they have modelling experience? Not at all – but they were everything we wanted to capture for our new collection – beautiful souls, fun-loving, true friendships, playful and joyful.

Location, location, location

Next, we chose our location. As an eco-brand, we thought about our environmental impact, and chose beautiful North Devon. Not only is the sandy coastline a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but it’s also home to our models and D&B team member, Sadie. We rented a lovely AirBnB in Croyde and shot in the dunes and on the beach of Saunton Sands.

Blowing in the wind

British weather is notoriously challenging for swimwear shoots. As a smaller brand, we could leave our photoshoot as late in the spring as possible and then keep everything crossed that the April weather was kind to us. We were lucky – it didn’t rain. But the wind! It was incredibly blowy.

Telling our story

We love to tell a story here at D&B. You can read the story behind our new collection here. It was inspired by us all – busy women juggling work, children, partners, homes, parents, families and friends. We feel that taking time out to nurture ourselves is so important. In fact, it becomes more important the busier life becomes. And, as we journey through life, the love and support we get from our female friendships also become more important – behind every successful woman there are other women holding her up, cheerleading her and keeping her company.

On our But First, Me photoshoot, we really felt that. The beautiful friendships between Jude, Terri and Allie and the camaraderie within the all-female Team D&B both on the shoot and behind the scenes – we love working together.

And that’s what makes our photography so special. Real people (we haven’t touched up a single freckle on those models). Real friendships. Real joy.