Photography in the Hall with the Hall Clock
A butler's back and the pendulum clock that tells the hour
About Photography in the Hall with the Hall Clock
Photography in the hall with the hall clock captures a butler's back and their walk, together with the passage of time, along the passage inside the Manor where a 155 cm pendulum clock stands. The butler handles the clock and the surrounding furnishings, and confirms with you the order in which people walk, where they pause, and whether the chime is used or silenced, to suit the purpose of the shoot.
Which moments can be captured in the hall and at the clock?
The back of a butler leading the way
A hall scene turns the walk towards the intended room into a story of its own.
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Looking up at the dial and hands
The hall clock is a floor-standing clock 155 cm tall.
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Details of the key and woodwork
Closing in on the clock's key and woodwork after the wide shot preserves the details that give the scene its sense of period.
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A step towards the next room
The hall is not a scene complete in itself; it also links the double doors, the study, the fireplace room and beyond.
Read moreWhy does the hall clock stand for the hall scene?
A hall clock is a large floor-standing clock that tells the hour in the Manor's hall. Ours is a 155 cm pendulum clock, and the sound of the chime itself becomes part of the atmosphere. To a scene that speaks of a Manor long lived in, the movement of the hands and pendulum is added.
In photographs, we distinguish the wide shot showing the clock's full height with the sitter, the half-length with eyes turned to the dial, and the close-up of the key and woodwork. Rather than fixing the clock at the centre of the frame, leaving space in the direction the person is about to walk joins still life and motion into a single story.
The chime can be silenced. If you wish to make use of the sound in the scene or are recording, please tell us at booking. We confirm the clock's operation and the time, and advise you on the day. For meetings and quiet recordings, the butler checks whether silencing is needed.
See meeting and green-room use
What can be confirmed about the hall clock?
| Type | A floor-standing pendulum hall clock. |
|---|---|
| Height | 155 cm. Beside a person, the clock's full height and the line of the eyes can be captured in one frame. |
| Sound | It has a chime to strike the hour, which can be silenced. How sound is handled for a shoot or meeting is confirmed in advance. |
| Handling | The hall clock is handled by the butler. Please consult the butler first for any composition that involves touching the dial or the key. |
| Scenes | Suited to compositions of a butler's back, a person checking the time, the moment of setting off, and the clock's details. |
| Its role in the Manor | A marker of time placed between rooms, a piece that links the story from arrival to departure. |
From arrival, in what order does a hall shoot proceed?
Tell us your purpose and numbers
Please let us know what you have in mind: portraits, creative work, video, recording, or a record before a meeting.
Discuss your wishes for sound
Tell us whether you wish to include the chime in the story of the frame, or to silence it for a meeting or recording. We confirm the striking times and recording conditions before advising you.
Confirm attire and props
If you will use long hems, hats or bags, share their kind and size so that nothing touches the floor or the furnishings while walking. Anything not needed is gathered where the butler indicates.
See the clock and the passage first
After arrival, the butler shows you the hall clock and the area available for photography.
Secure the still photographs
We begin with the wide shot of the clock and the sitter, then the half-length looking at the dial, then the close-up of the hands.
What we would like you to tell us
- The scenes you must have: the clock with the sitter, the butler's back, the walk, the hands
- The number in your party, including the photographer, those being photographed and any companions. The Manor accommodates up to six
- Attire, shoes, bags and other items you will bring for the walking scenes
- How sound is to be handled: whether you wish to use the chime or have it silenced
- The scene in the Manor you wish to use next, and its priority within the shoot as a whole
What we ask you to confirm in advance
- Please refrain from handling the hall clock, the key, the suit of armour or other furnishings on your own
- The Manor is never let unattended; one butler is always present
- For shoots that use the chime, we ask at booking about the time you wish for and the recording method
- Whether video or audio recording is possible, and the clarity of sound, is confirmed once we know your purpose and equipment
- In wet weather, transport and loading conditions may not be the same; we discuss each case individually
What does a butler's back say?
A butler leading the way is not a display of walking pace; it is the gesture of checking the situation half a step ahead so that you can move on to the next place without hesitation. Even without the face shown large, the straight back, the direction of travel and the distance from the guest convey the role.
Our butlers do not manufacture exaggerated strides or turns for the camera. The everyday gestures remain the axis: bowing and moving on, taking the necessary pause before the clock, turning the eyes to the next room. Both women and men serve as butlers, and their bearing in guiding you through the Manor is the same.
As butlers of Queen's Butler, we attend to what lies beyond the frame as well. Watching where the photographer steps back, the hem of a long dress, the position of the next person to pass and the distance from the old clock, we arrange the scene so that the order seen in the photograph and the safety of the setting go together.
See the spaces where a butler is present
How do we choose hall scenes by party size and purpose?
| One guest | A composition that readily yields, in turn, a portrait beside the clock, a profile looking at the dial, and a back view following the butler. |
|---|---|
| Two guests | Choose a composition in which one walks ahead while the other remains before the clock, or one in which both walk in the same direction. |
| Up to six | Rather than lining everyone up in the hall at once, we separate those standing still from those walking. The Manor accommodates a maximum of six guests in all. |
| Pre-wedding and commemorative portraits | Walking from the double doors into the hall and pausing before the clock creates the story of arriving and entering the Manor. |
| Creative work | Photographing the full clock, the key and woodwork, and the person's walk separately leaves material from which the passage of time can be assembled in editing. |
| Meetings and recordings | Making use of the fact that the chime can be silenced, you can discuss at booking the quiet you need and the time for moving through the Manor. |
QWhat kind of clock is the hall clock?
A large floor-standing clock placed in the hall. Ours is a 155 cm pendulum clock, and its chime can be silenced.
QCan the clock's sound be stopped?
Yes, the chime can be silenced. If you need quiet for a meeting or recording, please tell us at booking, and the butler will confirm this to suit your use on the day.
QCan we capture the moment the chime strikes?
We advise once we have confirmed the clock's operation and the time. If you wish to photograph or record with the chime, please tell us at booking.
QCan we film a walk along the hall?
If you wish to film, please tell us at booking your purpose, equipment and the area to be filmed. We confirm whether it is possible, and if so the butler arranges the order in which the subject and the photographer walk.
QMay we touch the hall clock or the key?
The hall clock is a furnishing handled by the butler. Even for detail shots, please do not touch it on your own; ask the butler.
QHow many people can be photographed?
The Manor accommodates a maximum of six guests. As the number lined up in the hall at once may be divided, please tell us the total including the photographer and any companions.
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 Double Doors
See the continuous scene from the moment the great doors open to the walk into the hall.
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The Study and the Suit of Armour
Against the desk, the bookcase and the armour, capture a figure in thought and the butler's gestures.
Read more
Antiques of the Manor
An introduction to the Manor's collection, where furnishings of different periods and origins meet.
Read more
From before the clock that tells the hour, on to the next scene.
Tell us the compositions you wish to keep, your numbers, attire, how sound is to be handled, and the rooms you wish to visit next. The butler arranges the order of the day while looking after the clock and the passage.