On Saturday 8th June I was back up in the awesome Dedicated XL gym up in Liverpool. A gym I’d shot at previously however, this was before their huge Watson Equipment refit! So not only could I not wait to see the new gym I couldn’t want to capture some stunning photos with Charlotte and Rob. The couple had decided to book myself for a shoot to document their personal transformations. So after getting in touch with myself via Instagram they booked in at the start of March. This gave them that date to work towards their target and be accountable for their training and diet going forward.
A Gym Like No Other
I had seen photos of the new refurbished Dedicated XL gym online, I wasn’t ready to see this place in the fresh as WOW words can’t describe how incredible and motivating this place is. Not only that but the gym is also 24/7 – imagine have a gym like the one below on your doorstep to use whenever you like!!
Whilst Charlotte and Rob were getting warmed up and I had finished setting up my lighting equipment, I took a little walk around the gym. Scouting out shoot ideas and locations to try and use. Which was tough as there was soooo much to choose from! This gym had basically every bench, machine and dumbbell you could ask for and more! It really was like being a kid in a sweetshop and that sweetshop was a gym.
Charlotte and Rob - Inspiring Together
The hardest thing about training for some people is sticking to a plan. If you don’t have the people around you to help and support then it’s even tougher. This wasn’t the case for Charlotte and Rob after they decided to do a joint transformation together.
"After seeing Rob competing last year, it kind of made me want to do it as well. So the shoot was a reason to get lean and have a good starting point to build on and as a ‘practice cut’. Rob also wants to compete again next year so he needed a reason to cut down too cause he rebounded quite bad after competing"
— Charlotte
With that in mind, they decided there was no time like the present to get in the best shape ever. Charlotte teamed with a fellow Charlotte, Charlotte Pickstock (Level Up with Charly) who’s an IFBB/PCA bikini champion. Rob went the UK Viking himself and NABBA Mr Universe 2017 winner, Josh Maley. After finding their coaches, the couple were ready to put their hearts and souls into being the best versions of themselves they could be!!
What was also quite funny was, it turned out the day of the shoot was actually 3 years to the day of them meeting each other! After they met in a gym nonetheless. So going to the gym doesn’t just have to be about lifting weights, you may even end up with a date out of it….maybe.
Capturing the Passion and Excitement
During the shoot the couple really enjoyed themselves and everyone was bouncing ideas off each other. What was amazing is although the gym has loads of equipment all over the place, there’s since a lot of spare space for setting up the lights, capturing the action and not being in the way of the other members.
To start we and to ease Charlotte and Rob into the shoot we set up a simple four light setup in the area near the barbell rack. Not only to make both of them feel more comfortable in front of the camera but it’s good to start the shoot with a good old bicep pump. Plus who doesn’t like an arm day photo!!
Below are a few of the shoots we managed to capture during our gym shoot together. With over 450+ shots taken over the hour and half period, it was a tough job for Charlotte and Rob to pick out some of their favourites.
Everyone Starts Somewhere
As I say to most people, what you see on the day of a shoot doesn’t just happen by magic! Months if not years of hard work and dedication, training, meal prepping and for that one goal – to create the best you that you can!
Just as Charlotte and Rob have proven in their own shoot. Below is a before picture taken back in 2017 and then one from the final shot taken during the shoot. Now if that’s not inspiring then I don’t know what is. Working towards that goal of having a shoot and being confident in front of the camera.
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