Behind the Lens with Mark Scott at the Modern Folk Photo Shoot
In September 2026, we launched our Modern Folk collection to the world; featuring four vibrant new designs inspired by the hand-painted folk art of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.
When we introduce a new collection, we don’t just throw a few fabric swatches on our website and call it a day. Every collection has its big reveal, and for us, that’s the photo shoot. It’s the first time the new designs are hung and styled in a real home, so you can picture how they might look in yours.
In today’s blog, we take you behind the lens with our talented photographer to discover how he captured the Modern Folk collection in all its colour.
Setting the scene for the Modern Folk collection
There’s much more preparation involved in our collection photo shoots than you may think. We began to upholster furniture and create soft furnishings for every shot a good couple of months in advance, with the photo shoot taking place over two days in early August 2026.
Every photo shoot feels like a family affair, as we’ve worked with our stylist, Sally Denning, and our photographer, Mark Scott, for almost 20 years. For this collection, Sally worked with Vanessa to plan out each set-up at the chosen location: Vanessa’s home, The Tallet. That way, everything was in place by the time Mark arrived to work his magic.
The Tallet is unlike any other photo shoot location. It has been Vanessas’s home for over 30 years, and it’s where she first perfected her craft of fabric design. You can read more about her home and the beginnings of the business in our blog post, The Story of The Tallet.
Six distinct looks across three beautiful spaces
For this shoot, we prepared three different spaces in Vanesssa’s home to create a total of six looks. You can see the final photographs below:
The parlour
The hallway
The living room
In conversation with photographer Mark Scott
How long have you been photographing Vanessa’s fabrics?
“Unbelievably, over 20 years! My first job for Vanessa was in May 2005. I can remember Vanessa holding my baby daughter in her arms two years later, while we were doing a shoot at my home studio.”
What do you think about when setting up a shot?
“Lighting things beautifully. Photography literally means ‘painting with light’, and that’s still at the heart of everything I do.
“I also look at the mood I want to create and the form of what’s in the shot. Mood-wise, it’s usually joyous, light, and airy. Form-wise, it’s really important to get the highlights and shadows in the right place, so the fabric looks its best.”
What’s the trickiest part of photographing fabric?
“Making sure that the colours and patterns are conveyed accurately and consistently. My job is to bring those out and make sure each fabric is shown in the best light.
“Vanessa’s designs often feature very complex yet subtle hues, like moss greens, duck egg blues, ochres, and saffrons. And there are so many different patterns, too. If it’s a very intricate pattern with leaves and motifs, I keep the light nice and soft so the pattern reads. If it’s more of a plain colour, I can put a harder light to make it really vibrant. It’s a human skill that AI is yet to replace.”
What makes The Tallet such a natural setting for photography?
“The Tallet is a unique building with heaps of historical character from its agricultural origins, paired with lots of contemporary architectural design – the Nick Arbuthnott trademark.
“There are large windows and full-height glazed doors that bring in lovely daylight. The ‘U’ shaped courtyard means there’s always a sunny aspect with hard light and a shady aspect with soft light. It gives me a ‘morning light’ and an ‘afternoon light’ space, which is a photographer’s dream.
“Most of all, it has a wonderful ‘homely’ feel with comfortable furnishings, family artwork, and well-read books everywhere. There’s usually something delicious cooking on the Aga, too. There’s always a warm welcome from Vanessa and Nick upon your arrival, if you haven’t already been greeted by a duck or chicken on the driveway!”
What are your favourite spots to photograph in The Tallet?
“My favourite spots are the hallway and the sitting room with the piano and log burner. There’s lovely balanced light and nice proportions in both. We always get great shots in these rooms.”
Which are your favourite fabrics from Vanessa’s collections?
“My favourite fabrics are the geometric, trellis patterns like Lattice Leaf. The geometry fits with my OCD, and it’s also got a nice little nod back to Vanessa’s early designs with the leaf pattern.
“At home, my dining room chair pads are upholstered in Cow Parsley in Moss & Cornflower. I like the simplicity of the pattern and the colours go nicely with my dining room walls, which are painted in a mossy sage colour. All very calming and natural.”
Get inspired by our beautiful photography
Explore our gallery to see how our designs could transform your interiors, including our latest Modern Folk collection. And if you’d like to try the fabrics in your own home, you can order up to five free samples before committing to a full roll or made to measure piece.