Ibiza was one of the first places I visited once lock-down had been lifted. It was early Summer - that uncertain time where Covid was all at once - a distant, but vidid memory. It was also by chance, a spur-of-the-moment holiday that had been put together in a matter of weeks. I was accompanying my oldest friend and fellow photographer to Ibiza for a family wedding.

The bright aquamarine sea, the hot sun and most importantly the light - the bright, powerful light that streamed endlessly for hours - I recall thinking - how unusual it felt after the last few summers discouraged from overseas travel. A little like Persephone, we were emerging from confinement and blinking into the light as we made our first steps onto this captivating Balearic island. It’s no coincidence that some months later, I officially launched Photos by Persephone - but that’s a story for another time…

On that trip - with a little help from instagram we came across a brilliant local wedding photographer - Dario Sanz Padilla @ibiza_wedding_photographer for advice on where to find smoke flares for a photo shoot we had planned. Unknowingly, I’d learn much later - we’d stumbled on a close knit community of Ibizan wedding photographers - and through Dario I discovered Gypsy Westwood @gypsywestwoodphotography - the founding member of this community.

Gypsy, born and raised in Ibiza, studied Fine Art & Photography in London and came back to the island to become Ibiza’s first ever wedding photographer. Passionate about learning, Gypsy started the Gypsy Westwood experience - a three-day workshop, for photographers to come together and learn from her 20 years’ experience.

That Summer, if you told me I’d come back to Ibiza less than a year later to attend Gypsy’s workshops, I would have shrugged it off as a pipe-dream, but, there I was, the following April, checking into a small boutique hotel: La Bohemia del Rio tucked away in the costal town of Santa Eulalia del Rio - my photography backpack in tow.

Afterall no one ever comes to Ibiza just once... or so a fellow course attendee declared one evening.

There are so many highlights from those three days - I have attended photography workshops before, but Gypsy’s was different, it was genuine, authentic and Gypsy shared her experience leading with her passion to learn, to perfect and to improve. Long past the finishing time, on the final day - we were all still huddled together around Gypsy’s computer - no one was in a rush to leave - we were all captivated - asking questions and Gypsy was patiently answering every single one.

It’s impossible to not come away from this experience, having learnt, imaginations widened and creativity reignited. Thank you Gypsy Westwood for opening up your creativity, experience and home to us!

Keep scrolling for the details of the suppliers and my final selection of images from the shoot.

The Set

The styled shoot, brought together the best of Ibizan Wedding suppliers and conceptualised by Edyta - a luxury wedding planner and owner of Bliss Ibiza Weddings & Events. The venue was truly a dream - located off-the grid, near the centre of the island; a beautiful private villa, a bright and airy colonial building, flanked by tall palms at the front and a jungle oasis at the back.