Family Photographer in London

The three session lengths, and which one suits your family

I run three session lengths, and most families guess wrong about which one suits them. The short version: the 40-minute mini session covers more families than people expect, since most of what makes a family photograph work happens before anyone gets tired or bored.

Mini session: 40 minutes, from £250

Fifteen edited images, one location, one outfit. Enough for a Christmas card or a grandparent’s mantelpiece. Start here if this is new to you.

Standard session: 90 minutes, £350 to £450

Forty to fifty edited images and enough breathing room for a meltdown without losing the session. Most families book this one, and I’d recommend it for a proper spread of images rather than a handful.

Extended session: two hours, £500 to £600

Two locations, or home plus a park, useful when grandparents are visiting and you want the day covered. Only worth it with a shot list already in mind; otherwise the standard session covers it.

Looking for a newborn session rather than the whole family? newborn sessions from £220 are booked separately. Expecting, and want photographs before the baby arrives? That is maternity photography, priced on its own.

Family photography prices in London

Prices below cover up to five people at one location. Extra people, locations or distance move the price, so check the table, and see full pricing across every service if comparing this against something else I shoot.

People count moves the price more than anything: six people takes longer to photograph well than four. One park spot is quicker than two locations, and a toddler in the group is reason enough to book the longer session. For the maths, see a full breakdown of family photoshoot costs.

Where we shoot: London locations that work

Somewhere with grass, a bit of shade and space enough that six people do not look like they are queuing works better than anywhere “photogenic”. These are the spots I use most, depending on when you’re booking.

• Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets: the east side is quieter after 4pm, when the light drops low through the trees.
• London Fields, Hackney: go before midday, since it’s picnic blankets everywhere by lunchtime on a Saturday.
• Hampstead Heath, Camden: the Kenwood side has the best afternoon light but almost no parking, so come by bus.
• Richmond Park, Richmond: deer keep toddlers entertained for free, though the Pen Ponds car park fills by 11am.
• Battersea Park, Wandsworth: the boating lake and flower walk are reliable backdrops, with parking close by.
• Clapham Common, Lambeth: easy to reach, but the grass turns to a mudbath for weeks after heavy rain.
• Alexandra Park, Haringey: a skyline backdrop from the terrace, with lovely light through the trees by 4pm.
• Dulwich Park, Southwark: free parking off the College Road gate, rarely crowded even on a Sunday.
• Regent’s Park, Westminster: beautiful, but a group of more than about eight needs Royal Parks permission first.
• Wimbledon Common, Merton: the windmill makes a good backdrop, and it rarely feels crowded, even in September.

Permit rules vary from park to park and change without notice, so I confirm what is current before booking a larger group. See family sessions from across London for how these look in practice, or the best family photoshoot locations in London for a dozen more spots.

Photographing with a toddler, honestly

Nobody sits still for this, and I don’t ask them to. Most of what makes toddler photographs work is letting go of the posed group shot: someone being chased, someone refusing to hold hands, someone eating a biscuit off the grass.

Bribery works, and I say so upfront: snacks, a favourite toy, ice cream after if that gets you through. A short game, “I spy” or “run to that tree”, gets more genuine laughing than “look at the camera” ever will. I often let a two-year-old lead the first ten minutes; the best frames usually follow.

Here’s where I would disagree with common advice: a rushed 45-minute session does not suit toddlers better than a longer one. Ninety minutes with breaks beats 45 of forcing it. Book the standard session if meltdowns are a risk, and see photographing a toddler without tears for more.

What to wear, without co-ordinating outfits

Matching outfits date a family photograph faster than almost anything else. Five years from now the co-ordinated cream jumpers will look more like 2026 than your faces will. Pick one palette instead, like sage, cream and rust, and let everyone wear their own thing within it.

Mix textures: a knit next to a cotton shirt next to denim reads as considered, not staged. Avoid large logos and pure white, which overexposes in bright sun. Wear what you can move in; you’ll be sitting on grass, or chasing a toddler. For colour combinations, see what to wear for a family photoshoot.

Seasons, light and booking windows

Autumn is the busiest season I shoot and, most years, the best-looking: golden light, warm tones, jumpers that photograph well without overheating. It books out first too. By mid-September I’m often full for October, so book in July or August if autumn matters to you.

Winter gives short days but flattering low light, and quieter parks. Spring is unpredictable, a week of blossom then three of grey. Summer sounds obvious but isn’t always best: 1pm in July is the hardest light of the year. For the fuller reasoning, see why autumn books out first.

At home, or outdoors?

A Victorian flat with one good north-facing window beats a grey November park more often than people assume: soft, even light, no wind, and a toddler already settled at home. It works less well in a dark ground-floor flat, or anywhere with no space for a wider shot.

If we’re shooting at home, tidy one room, open the curtains, and turn off the overhead lights, since they fight the window light. I bring a bounced flash for darker corners, but the window does most of the work. Fifteen minutes on one room beats an hour on the rest of the flat.

When you don’t need a family photographer

If all you want is one decent picture for a Christmas card, book the mini session, or ask a friend with a phone in good light. It will do the job, and I would say so if asked directly. A full session buys a proper set of images across a range of moments, ones you will still want on a wall in ten years.

It is worth it for families who want that range, who have a toddler who won’t perform on command, or who want grandparents with grandchildren while that’s still possible. For a portrait of one person rather than the whole family, individual portrait sessions are priced separately.

Tell me your children’s ages and your postcode, and I will come back within one working day with some dates and a location to suit.