An Afternoon at Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor

I hadn't planned to take these photographs at all.

I was at Oakley Court, near Windsor, waiting for a client shoot to begin, with a little time on my hands and a camera already over my shoulder. And then I looked up, at the ceilings, at the light falling through those tall Gothic windows — and that was that. Twenty-two years behind a camera and I still can't sit quietly in a beautiful room without wanting to photograph it.

So I did. Here are a few of them.

A house with a long memory

Oakley Court hotel is a Victorian mansion dating back to 1859, set in thirty-five acres of grounds on a private stretch of the River Thames just downriver from Windsor. Over the years it has hosted rather grand company, royalty among them, including Queen Elizabeth II, who is said to have arrived by boat from Windsor Castle nearby.

It has a second, more mischievous life too. Backing onto the old Bray film studios, the house has appeared on screen many times over the decades — most famously as the setting for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. You can feel that history in the building: it's grand, but it doesn't take itself too seriously, and I think that's exactly why it photographs so well.

What it's like to photograph

For a photographer, the pleasure of a house like this is the light. The windows are enormous and beautifully proportioned, so the interiors are full of soft, directional daylight that does most of the work for you — you simply have to place yourself where it falls.

And then there's the detail. Intricate plaster ceilings, herringbone floors, deep-panelled walls, a chandelier that could hold a room on its own. Wander a little and you find quieter corners: marble café tables catching the window light, a window seat framed by curtains, a glass-domed conservatory that glows like a lantern when the sun comes through.

Why it stayed with me

I photograph a lot of venues, and it's not often one makes me want to stop and take pictures for the sheer joy of it. Oakley Court did. It's a genuinely special place, the sort of house where a wedding, a celebration or a corporate day would look effortlessly beautiful, because the building has already done half the work.

These images were a gift to the team there, a small thank-you for such a lovely afternoon. But I came away thinking I'd very happily go back with more time and a proper plan.

I'm Lola García, a professional photographer based in Greenwich, London, working across weddings, corporate events and venues throughout London and the Home Counties. If you're planning a wedding or event at Oakley Court, or you look after a venue that deserves photographs like these, I'd love to hear from you.

You can visit Lolagarciaphotography.com and Albadelsol.com for Weddings.

With thanks to the team at Oakley Court hotel in Windsor. @oakleycourt