Bitten by Dracula

Lee Howard
Feb 11
4 min read

I have worked with Tyler Turner many times before, and I'm usually on my guard when it comes to her ideas, I must confess, although I'm normally the one managing expectations and saying no, like some sort of strict victorian school master, it's these mad ideas that inspire me.

I arrived at Gwrych Castle in Abergele expecting to be faced with a mini battle, which I must confess I love, thats part of the creative process in my opinion. I already knew this was going to be a themed shoot, which I hate, and I also knew it was going to be based on a Dracula movie, which I hate even more. Tyler had sent me links to watch the film well in advance, which I didn't watch, and had no intention of doing, I knew Tyler would have a clear idea of what she wanted based on the film, and I didn't want my input to be coming from the same place.

So I was informed that this theme shoot was being created in conjunction with Tyler's appearance on Valentines day at Wrexham Comic Con, and the romance of the day and of course the film was to be the forefront of the shoot, I'm fine with that, I can do romance, I think. the thing is, my background is documentary photography and so I'm quite grounded in fact, reality and truth. So although romance can be something I can work with, a romantic vampire sets my 'This is utter bollocks' bells ringing.

But I am pleased to say, not only was I wrong, but I learned something new that day, and so this is the story of the Tyler Turner Dracula shoot in Wales.

Tyler Turner • Dracula shoot • Photo Lee M Howard 2026

We had full access of Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Wales. This is the place that ITV filmed I'm a Celebrity get me out of here for a few series during Covid. I have shot here many times before, but we had managed to secure a new part of the building for this shoot, and I was looking forward to working in this space. Tyler had been working with a dress maker called Lolly, and she had knocked it out of the park, the costumes where outstanding, worthy of a place in a West End Musical, this strangely puts me under pressure, that's a good thing, quality breeds quality, I had to bring a A game.

We started by shooting the bedroom scenes, which we had planned. the story of the film is the female character changes from happy to sad, into a different person, based I assume on her state of mind after the loss of her love, I don't do films like this, but I assume it's all meant to be symbolic.

This explains the hair change, the costume change, so I decided we should change the way we shoot it. too.

Tyler Turner • Dracula shoot • Photo Lee M Howard 2026

I was actually making a video for the run up to the comic con at the same time, but thankfully we had planned plenty of time for the shoot. That's always my advice to people, give yourself time on these shoots, time is your best friends when it comes to being creative.

As the day went on we started to collaborate more and I began to think about the outcome of this shoot, which I never do, but this is something I really took away from our day, something occurred to me.

I have worked at comic cons for years, and photographed cosplayers at the events, but we don't often consider quality when it comes to shoots like this, it's always a case of, oh, you managed to get a decent shot of me, or thats a pretty good one. Why can't we produce shoots that celebrate the passion and efforts, not to mention the cost, that people put into this hobby.

So I threw away my pre-conceived ideas and went with it, I approached it like I was making a period drama, I have directed some 30 films in my career, so it was easy me to take this approach, and it was the correct one.

Tyler Turner • Dracula shoot • Photo Lee M Howard 2026

I felt the romance of the shoot build, all of a sudden Tyler wasn't modelling, she was acting. her preparation had indeed worked, she had prepared for the shoot like an actor prepares for a part, and Tyler was playing the part, perfectly. all of a sudden things had changed, I wasn't analysing her ideas, I was embracing them, a lesson for sure. This was never as photoshoot, this was a real story, not of Dracula, but of Tyler's interpretation of the story, her connection to the love story the author was telling, and fantasy of her , if for just one moment, living it out in the most spectacular way.

Tyler Turner • Dracula shoot • Photo Lee M Howard 2026

My aim from that moment on was to create a story that embodied the romance of this movie, and how it makes Tyler feel when she watches it, and I think we did it.

So instead of me wearing my victorian school teacher hat and telling people why these shoots can't work, I'm actually looking at Tyler in these photographs and feeling happy and proud, it's something I believe she will look back on and it will make her happy, it's not just another shoot, it's something almost tangible, recreating something that you are passionate about, and taking just a small piece of it and making it yours is well worth doing for sure.

I think I need to look for more cosplayers, I will be doing this again, For Sure