The Brief

As the festive season approached, The Marlborough Group, a well-established investment firm operating from the stunning Croxall Hall estate in Staffordshire, got in touch with us. Their request? To update their collection of Christmas lights photography – but not just with stills. They wanted high-quality drone photography, atmospheric video footage, and, above all, a visual story that would do justice to the magical display of lights adorning their historic property.

The Challenge Behind the Shoot

At first glance, capturing Christmas lights might seem like a straightforward task. However, timing is everything when it comes to seasonal photography, especially for projects like this. The lights only come into their full glory during a narrow twilight window – too early, and the sky hasn’t darkened enough; too late, and you lose detail in the shadows.

What made this shoot even more dynamic was the inclusion of aerial drone footage. Capturing the estate from above provides a unique perspective, showcasing the layout, lighting design, and overall grandeur of the property. But coordinating ground-level shots and drone captures during a short dusk period adds complexity – especially in winter, when light fades fast, and weather can be unpredictable.

The Shoot

We arrived early to scout the location, check sightlines, and plan both static and aerial setups. Equipment included high-performance cameras for low-light photography, as well as a 4K drone capable of capturing cinematic video and high-resolution stills. With everything meticulously timed, we got to work as soon as the lights came on.

The estate looked nothing short of enchanting – strings of twinkling lights draped across trees, façades bathed in colour, and a general air of Christmas magic. We captured wide shots, detailed close-ups, and sweeping aerial views to tell a cohesive visual story.

The Result

The final deliverables included:
• A highlight video set to festive, royalty-free music to bring out the Christmas spirit
• A curated selection of drone photos showing the scale and elegance of the lighting design
• Still images from various angles to be used in marketing materials and internal communications

A small waterfall flows over rocks into a pond surrounded by bulrushes, green trees, and shrubs at Croxall Hall, reflecting the sky and plants. The scene is tranquil and natural.

A small waterfall flows over rocks into a clear pond, surrounded by green shrubs and mist at Croxall Hall, creating a peaceful garden scene under a bright sky.

A quiet country road near Croxall Hall curves past a grassy area with two large, conical Christmas light decorations. Bare trees line the road, and a brick wall runs along the left side at sunset.

A gravel path leads to Croxall Hall, a brick manor house framed by tall hedges, with a central water fountain spraying in front and two small trees with red leaves in planter boxes on either side.

A calm pond with a fountain in the centre, surrounded by trees—some bare, some evergreen—under a cloudy dusk sky. Croxall Hall, a red brick building, is visible in the background.

Croxall Hall, a large red-brick manor house with tall chimneys, stands behind neatly trimmed hedges on a green lawn, surrounded by trees under a clear sky at dusk.

Croxall Hall is a large, red-brick historic house with multiple chimneys, tall windows, and manicured gardens, seen behind a tall hedge and a vintage-style streetlamp under a clear sky.

A large, historic red-brick house—Croxall Hall—with tall chimneys and numerous windows, surrounded by manicured gardens and greenery, under a clear sky.

Croxall Hall, a large, historic red-brick house with tall chimneys and leaded windows, stands behind a hedge under a clear sky, surrounded by trees and greenery.

Croxall Hall is a large, historic red-brick manor house with tall chimneys, gabled roofs, and many windows, set behind a neatly trimmed lawn and surrounded by hedges.

Croxall Hall is a large, historic red-brick manor house with tall windows and a gravel drive, surrounded by manicured shrubs, at sunset.

A gravel path leads to distant Croxall Hall, flanked by large, neatly trimmed topiary bushes and green grass, under a soft, overcast sky.

Croxall Hall, a brick house with multiple chimneys, sits behind a gravel drive and manicured green lawn, bordered by a red brick wall. Leafless trees and neatly trimmed shrubs are visible in the garden area.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall, a large country estate with multiple brick buildings, manicured gardens, trees, and surrounding green fields; a main road runs through the landscape under a cloudy sky.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall, a large country estate with a brick mansion, manicured gardens, outbuildings, tree-lined paths, and surrounding green fields under a cloudy sky.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall countryside estate with houses, gardens, and tree-lined paths surrounded by green fields under a cloudy sky. The landscape extends to the horizon with scattered trees and distant buildings.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall, a large estate with brick buildings, manicured lawns, a tennis court, tree-lined drive, and decorated trees with white lights, set in a rural landscape with fields and a river in the background.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall estate with manicured lawns, topiary bushes, main house, outbuildings, tennis court, and illuminated trees along the drive, surrounded by open green fields and trees.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall, a large, historic estate with manicured lawns, trimmed hedges, and several buildings illuminated by outdoor lighting, surrounded by open green fields and trees.

Aerial view of Croxall Hall estate with a historic mansion, neatly landscaped gardens, and outbuildings surrounded by open green fields and trees. A narrow road runs beside the property, with a small brick structure in a grassy area.

A curved gravel drive at Croxall Hall is bordered by a lawn and leafless trees at dusk, with a brick wall and garden shrubs lit by warm lights under a cloudy evening sky.

A large brick mansion, Croxall Hall, is lit warmly from inside at dusk, with a lawn in front. To the left, fairy lights decorate a pergola walkway. Trees and cloudy blue sky are seen in the background.

A spiral-shaped topiary decorated with fairy lights stands on green grass at Croxall Hall, in a formal garden where other illuminated trees line the gravel paths at dusk.

Croxall Hall, a large brick mansion with multiple chimneys, is warmly lit from within at dusk. The house is surrounded by manicured lawns, hedges, bare trees, and illuminated garden decorations beneath a cloudy blue sky.

A bright fountain glows in the centre of a pond at dusk at Croxall Hall, surrounded by trees and a wooden fence, with the sky dark blue and hints of sunset on the horizon.

Croxall Hall, a large house with warm lights, glows at dusk, framed by tall topiary trees wrapped in white fairy lights along a gravel path under a dark blue sky.

A lit fountain glows blue at night, framed by tall hedges. In the background, Croxall Hall, a large stately home with many illuminated windows, stands against the dark sky.

Croxall Hall, a large historic brick mansion, is illuminated by warm lights at dusk, surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and small decorated trees. The deep blue sky and a glowing lamp-post near the entrance add to its charm.

A gravel path leads to a lit-up Croxall Hall, flanked by large bushes adorned with countless small white lights, creating a festive and magical atmosphere at dusk.

A night-time view of a garden path at Croxall Hall, lined with large topiary bushes covered in white Christmas lights, leads to a grand, warmly lit house in the background. Trees and a dusky sky frame the scene.

A night-time scene of Croxall Hall, illuminated by blue lighting. Two small trees wrapped in white fairy lights frame a central fountain with blue-lit water jets, creating a dramatic and enchanting atmosphere.

This project was a great example of how seasonal commercial photography can elevate brand presentation – capturing not just images, but the emotion and atmosphere of a place during a special time of year.

Interested in a Festive Shoot for Your Business? (It’s never too early. Let us know, and we can be back in touch closer to the time to make sure you don’t miss the season.)

Whether you’re looking for corporate Christmas photography, aerial estate imagery, or a complete video production package, we’re here to help. Get in touch to discuss your project.

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📍Based in Worcestershire – serving Staffordshire, the West Midlands, and beyond.

Terry Livesey in the Studio leaning on a camera