Emily Erlam Landscape Architect
Emily Erlam is one of the most respected voices in British landscape design. Since transitioning from a career in television to garden design in 2008, she has built a reputation for work that is simultaneously rigorous and romantic — what she herself describes as “minimalist yet frothy.” Strong, uncomplicated structures woven through with planting that softens and breathes. Architecture and landscape in genuine conversation.
We shot these portraits at my home in Sandwich, Kent. A single 27" beauty dish, controlled light, quiet space. Emily arrived relaxed and completely at ease — one of those subjects who requires very little direction because they already know how to occupy a room. The session had a calm to it that felt appropriate for someone whose entire philosophy is built around how a space makes you feel.
Growing up, my mother was a garden designer and plantswoman with her own nursery. That upbringing gave me a deep respect for plants — not just for their aesthetic qualities but for the precision required to understand what each one needs to flourish in its specific environment. I have always been drawn to people who possess that level of mastery — a unique, embodied knowledge of their craft that shows up in how they carry themselves. Emily has that.
Her approach is plant-led and site-specific. Gardens that extend the experience of the house rather than sitting apart from it. She collaborates closely with architects, treating the boundary between building and landscape as a creative opportunity rather than a problem to solve. The question that drives all of it — the one she returns to with every project — is simple: how does it make you feel? The answer, in her gardens, is always the same. Nurtured. Calm. Rooted.
I wanted these portraits to carry that quality. A sensitive, character-led approach that complemented her presence rather than imposed upon it. The beauty dish was the right tool — a soft but directional light that reveals without flattening. The images sit in the same register as her work: disciplined on the surface, something warmer underneath.
These portraits were made as part of my ongoing character-led work — designers, creatives, and makers photographed for the intelligence and craft they carry. Based in Sandwich, Kent, I work with private clients and creatives across the UK, London, and internationally. If you are a designer, architect, or creative looking for portraits that reflect the quality of your work — get in touch.
Visceral, character-led portraits from honest, quiet human moments. Classical legacy portraiture for private commissions. International, UK, London, based in Sandwich, Kent.