Photography in the Bedroom
The corbeille bed and burgundy linens
About Photography in the Bedroom
Bedroom photography is time spent telling a story in the real bedroom at the far end of the Queen's Butler Studio, against a 19th-century French corbeille bed and burgundy linens. A butler prepares the scene while guarding the furnishings, and works through compositions with you to suit your purpose, whether quiet rest, morning tea or a formal portrait.
What kind of photograph can the bedroom give you?
Receiving morning tea
The morning tea scene captures in a single frame a butler carrying a tray and approaching the bedside quietly.
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A quiet night beside the candelabra
The night scene draws out stillness in low light, with Rococo wall brackets and crystal-drop brackets as the backdrop.
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A portrait that makes the most of the flower-basket curves
Corbeille is the French word for a flower basket.
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A still life with burgundy as the subject
Even without a figure, you can record the colours of the bedroom by layering the burgundy and gold damask covers, the cabriole-legged bedside chests and the lighting.
Read moreWhat should be photographed to convey the character of the corbeille bed?
A corbeille bed is a form in which the head and foot rise in high curves, enclosing the person lying in it like a flower basket. This bed is 19th-century French, with black silk damask upholstery, capitonné work and a fully carved frame. Showing the whole sweep of the curves in the first photograph makes the character of the place clear at once.
Capitonné is an upholstery technique in which fabric is fastened in a diamond pattern to create a padded relief. It is one of the designs that embody the salon culture of 19th-century France, and when lit from an angle the relief shows in fine detail. Before the shoot, the butler checks how the fabric and carving read, and shows you positions from which the furnishings need not be touched.
In a wide view the outline of the frame leads; in a half-length portrait, the capitonné; in a close-up of the hands, the contrast of black fabric and burgundy. Deciding first what you most want to keep prevents a run of similar frames from the same bedroom. If you are combining other scenes within the Manor, see the list of scenes available for photography for how colours and periods connect.
See the scenes available
What periods and designs make up the bedroom's furnishings?
| Bed | A 19th-century French corbeille bed. The flower-basket form with a high, curved head and foot, in black silk damask with capitonné work and a fully carved frame. |
|---|---|
| Covers | Burgundy and gold damask. 1,000-thread-count Egyptian cotton with gold embroidery. |
| Ceiling light | A four-light bronze chandelier. The subdued tone of the metal ties the deep red and black fabrics together. |
| Wall lights | A pair of Rococo-style wall brackets and a four-light crystal-drop bracket. Placed in the background, they give vertical lines to the frame. |
| Either side of the bed | A pair of mahogany three-drawer bedside chests on cabriole legs. They also suit compositions that make use of left-right symmetry. |
| Character of the room | A French Rococo setting, unlike the English Study or the Fireplace Room. Moving between scenes within the Manor can make it seem the story has turned a chapter. |
In what order does a bedroom shoot proceed from arrival?
Tell us the purpose and party size at booking
Please let us know the purpose, such as portraits, pre-wedding photographs, creative work or green-room use, and the number of people.
Share details of attire and props
If you are bringing long trains, hats, bouquets, trunks or the like, please tell us the kind and size in advance.
Walk through the Manor with the butler on arrival
The butler welcomes you with a bow and shows you the way to the bedroom and the area available for photography.
Take a reference frame in wide view
First, secure a wide shot that shows the outline of the bed and the placement of the lights. It then becomes easier to judge which features to keep as figures and props are added in later frames.
Set the distance between figures and furnishings
The butler watches over the handling of the furnishings and will let you know if a train or a prop is about to catch on the furniture.
What we would like you to tell us
- A simple outline of the scenes you want, divided into roughly three kinds: wide view, figure and close-up of the hands
- The kind of attire and footwear, and whether there are long trains or large props
- The number of people, including everyone taking part. The Manor accommodates up to six
- The impression of light you have in mind: morning brightness, a night that brings out the deep red, a still life that shows the furnishings
- If other scenes in the Manor are also to be used, their order of priority and the one frame you must have
What we ask you to confirm in advance
- We do not serve meals. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink
- The Manor is never let out unattended. One butler is always present
- Please refrain from moving the antique furnishings on your own
- Naked flames, loud noise and use after 9 pm are confirmed in advance once we have heard the details
- Elements that depend on the weather or conditions on the day are not promised unconditionally; we discuss them beforehand
What does the butler watch for during a bedroom shoot?
Assisting with photography means the butler checking, before and after the shutter falls, the safety of the furnishings, the movement of the people and any disorder that would show in the frame. As a Queen's Butler butler, he not only protects the old pieces but prepares the next scene ahead of time so the flow of the shoot never stalls.
The butler does not exaggerate the angle of his bow or the length of his stride with the tray for the sake of the camera. Within the range of his daily bearing, he repeats the sequence of opening the door, approaching and coming to a halt, so the photographer can wait for the moment they want. White gloves are worn for handling silver and the like as the scene requires, not uniformly in every scene.
On rainy days the bedroom inside the Manor remains an option, though traffic and delivery plans may not be on the same footing. If your arrival time or what you are bringing is likely to be affected, please consult us beforehand. If you are shifting from a plan that included outdoor scenes to one centred on the Manor, we will hear your wishes and rearrange the order.
See the rooms where a butler attends
How do you choose between the bedroom and the other scenes?
| Bedroom | Burgundy, black silk and gold embroidery lead. Suited to close-range stories: rest, morning tea, quiet portraits. |
|---|---|
| Study and armour | A weighty scene made by the desk, bookcases and suit of armour. Suited to compositions that recall an English study: letters, reading, a figure in thought. |
| Fireplace Room | The wine-red sofa and fireplace lead. Suited to conversation among several people, broad seated figures and compositions that use the evening light. |
| Dining Room | The table, chandelier, silver and porcelain lead. Suited to a formal dinner setting or scenes that layer hands and tabletop. |
| Wardrobe | Against morning coats, tailcoats, top hats and leather shoes, you can build a story of dressing, or of choosing attire, before and after. |
QAre the bedroom photographs on this site of the real room?
Yes. This page shows images of the actual bedroom in the Manor. Please use the corbeille bed, the burgundy and gold covers and the bedroom lighting to help choose your compositions before booking.
QWhat is a corbeille bed?
The word is French for a flower basket, and describes a bed whose head and foot rise in high curves. The Manor's piece is 19th-century French, distinguished by black silk damask upholstery, capitonné work and a fully carved frame.
QCan I be photographed sitting or lying on the bed?
We will advise once we have considered the care of the furnishings and the content of the shoot. Please tell us the pose, attire and party size you have in mind at booking, and wait for the butler's guidance rather than moving the furnishings yourself.
QMay I bring attire and props?
We hear the details in advance and advise on where things may be placed and how they are handled in the Manor. For long trains, large props and flowers, please tell us the kind and size at booking so they do not come into contact with the furnishings.
QHow many people can take part in a bedroom shoot?
The Manor accommodates up to six. If you tell us the number including photographer, subjects and companions, the butler can more easily arrange the flow through the bedroom and corridor.
QCan I shoot in the bedroom on a rainy day?
The bedroom is an indoor scene, though the effect of traffic and deliveries differs with each shoot. If you wish to change a plan that included outdoor scenes, we will hear your wishes and the conditions on the day and discuss an alternative arrangement.
About using The Studio
- The manor is never let unattended. A butler is present for every booking, and keys are not handed over
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink. We do not provide meals
- Please use the antique furnishings under the butler's guidance. The armour, hall clock, porcelain and silver are handled by the butler
- Please consult us in advance about loud sound or the use of naked flames
- Prices shown include tax
You may also wish to read
The Wardrobe
Build a dressing scene against the butlers' attire and English antique bookcases.
Read more
A Green Room for Odaiba Events
How the Manor is used for preparation and rest before a performance.
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The Manor's Antiques
See the Manor's collection, where furnishings of different periods and origins meet.
Read more
The curves of a flower basket, as the backdrop to your story.
Tell us the frame you wish to keep from the bedroom, your attire, props and party size. A butler will guide you through the scenes in the Manor and the flow of the day.