Best Family Photoshoot Locations in London (2026 Guide)

So, you’re thinking of booking a family photoshoot for you and your loved ones to create some long lasting, gorgeous memories. But the question is… where do we go!? I’m a London based family photographer, and I am here to answer that question for you and let you in on my top tips of where to go for your London family photoshoot, all secret locations revealed! 

I have lived in various different parts of London over the last ten years, and have been running my London family photography business for the last eight, so am well versed on all the different little pockets of London and where works best for family photoshoots. Picking a location can be quite overwhelming, London is huge as we well know! I am here to let you know how to pick a location, what the most important aspects of a location are, the best season for various spots and what spots suit different kinds of outdoor London photoshoots. 

Clapham Common, London

Number 1: how to pick a location.

A location needs several things in order to work for an outdoor family photoshoot. It needs to:

• Look beautiful

• Have background depth

• Be easily accessible

• Have good light

  
  

Looking beautiful is something London is actually really great for, especially in its outdoor parks and woodlands. We are blessed with having several really gorgeous spots that make you feel like you’re really in the countryside, when in actual fact you’re only a few minutes walk from the nearest tube station. We are wanting rolling hills, long grass, beautiful flowers. I am here to reveal to you all where to go to get just that for your outdoor family photoshoot in London. Background depth is something I talk to all my clients about.

When they're suggesting spots to go to, I am all ears, as I love learning about new locations and trying out a new spot in London. However one of the things that is really a non negotiable, is the depth of background. To put it simply, we don’t want to be doing your outdoor family photoshoot on something that basically resembles a football pitch, right? We want the background to add to the photographs, not take away from.

What this also has the dual bonus of doing, is helping us with the good light. If you have a good build up of background, chances are your light will be dappled and diffused and therefore nicer to work with. We all like that twinkly, sparkly golden light of the sunshine don’t we? By choosing a location that has depth of trees, that light gets even softer and even more twinkly. It’s amazing. Easy access is self explanatory, not all families want the upheaval of trekking really far from their transport, to get to the spot. Some will, and that’s great, but we want to have a few spots up our sleeve that mean that a tube station is only about ten mins away, or a carpark is nearby.

Brockwell Park, London

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Number 2: The magic locations

I’m going to reveal to you my top favourite personal choices of outdoor London locations for photoshoots. These are all spots that I use myself, and have been going to for years.

DULWICH PARK

I’m starting with my first pick, as it was the space that I first started doing the family photoshoots, all those years ago: Dulwich Park. Dulwich Park is amazing, it’s got a lake on it, which the kids will probably love to go visit after the photos, and also a fantastic cafe in the centre of the park that does great coffee. The spot that we do the photoshoots at is tucked away, a few mins walk from the cafe, and offers a dreamy location for your photoshoot. A grassy bank, that in Spring is covered with wild flowers and in summer has the most gorgeous long grass. Even when the grass is cute the trees are full, and offer the most beautiful light both in the morning and in the late afternoon. I honestly could talk for hours about why Dulwich Park is one of my favourite spots, but go see for yourself. It’s a perfect location for your London outdoor family photoshoot. It’s versatility also means that I have used it again and again for not just my London family photoshoots but the maternity photoshoots and newborn photoshoots also. 

Dulwich Park, London

HAMPSTEAD HEATH

Next, we have Hampstead Heath. We’re whizzing up from South East London all the way to North West London for the heath. It is GORGEOUS. I have been going to Hampstead Heath for my outdoor family photoshoots now for years. It offers such a range of different locations and truly I recommend just going there for a day to wander the heath and find a favourite spot for yourself, but I will give you two of mine. The first is The Hill Garden and Pergola in Hampstead Heath. It is a short walk from Jack Straws Carpark, and only a 10-15 min walk from Hampstead station. It offers a backdrop that you would liken to a fairytale, think winding vines up talk pillars, secret passageways, gorgeous canopies and historic architecture. Hard to beat. Second on the heath, I like to bring my clients to a spot that is near the East Heath Carpark, and we walk up to a beautiful spot on the hillside for the best sunsets, some rolling hills that will make you feel like we are in a countryside dream. You really couldn’t beat these spots for their immensity and beauty for your family photoshoot in London. I would say that Summer and Spring are the best time to use these London spots but I have also been to the Pergola in winter and it has a beauty of its own then also. 

Hampstead Heath hillside, London

Hampstead Heath Pergola, London

CLAPHAM COMMON

Third, we have Clapham Common. This is a spot I go to at a very specific time of year, mid summer. The reason being, that an absolutely beautiful wildflower meadow has been planted on the common and in summer it reaches its peak of bloom and is completely gorgeous. It’s really hard to find actual wildflower meadows in London, so this is like a little miracle in such a busy area. It’s amazing for access, as is only a five minute walk from Clapham Common Station, is next to multiple bus routes and also only a short walk from Clapham South station also. 

Clapham Common, London

REGENTS PARK

Fourth, is Regents Park. This is a great choice for your family outdoor photoshoot in London. It’s a magnificent park at so many points of the year. The spot I go to is actually one that I choose to bring families who opt for an Autumnal photoshoot because the colours of the trees is truly magnificent. There’s also so much space for us to run about that we are less likely to be overlooked by others, apart from the occasional dog walker. A second spot in Regents Park is the Queen Mary's Rose Gardens. This gorgeous garden is exactly what it says on the tin, a space where an array of beautiful roses bloom in the summer and make for the most dreamy, romantic spot for London outdoor photoshoots. It is right next to the Japanese garden so some photographs on the bridge also make for a gorgeous location.

Regents Park, London

RICHMOND PARK

Richmond Park is where we are finishing this article. It’s an enormous park, but specifically in the months of April-May there is a plantation in the park called the Isabella Plantation, which blooms the most beautiful pink flowers. It’s a masterpiece in its own right and offers such a gorgeous but different backdrop for your family photos. It is also perfect for your outdoor maternity photoshoot in London due to its utter romance. There are then several spots in the park nearby that work for a more neutral backdrop so that you have a mixture of shots in your gallery.

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So, I hope that gives some insight into some of the most ideal outdoor locations for your London photoshoot. Please do drop me a message if you have any other suggestions of places for me to visit, or indeed if you have any questions about the spots I have mentioned in this article. I can’t wait to see you all out there this year! 

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Ruby x