Best Outdoor Locations for a Family Photoshoot in London
Updated: Sep 15
Choosing where to photograph your family in London can change the whole feel of the session.
Some families prefer the elegance and scale of central parks. Others feel more themselves in a familiar neighbourhood setting close to home. More intimate gardens can create a polished, quieter atmosphere, while larger landscapes offer more space and movement.
This guide compares some of the London settings Pennypics uses most often, including Battersea Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, Holland Park, St James’s Park, Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common, Streatham Common, Tooting Common and Richmond Park.
The right setting should feel natural for your family and give the portraits the atmosphere you want.
These locations fall broadly into three groups:
Central & West London parks — Battersea Park, Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens, Holland Park, St James’s Park
Neighbourhood commons & South London parks — Clapham, Wandsworth, Streatham and Tooting
Destination landscapes — Richmond Park
Central & West London Parks
Battersea Park
Battersea Park offers unusual variety within one London location: open lawns, mature trees, the lake, the bandstand, formal gardens, riverside paths and views towards Albert Bridge.
It works well for families with younger children, buggies or grandparents because the session can be planned around a smaller cluster of nearby areas rather than trying to cover the whole park.
The strength of Battersea Park is the variety. Depending on the route, a session can move from open greenery to more structured or architectural settings while still feeling cohesive.
Morning light often works particularly well here, while the middle of the day can feel busier and less forgiving.
Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens offer a different kind of flexibility: scale, open space, architecture and quieter corners can all sit within the same session.
The Italian Gardens work especially well for families who prefer a more compact route, including younger children, buggies and grandparents. The mix of water, stone and formal planting gives the portraits a more polished feel without needing to cover a large area.
On the Serpentine and Marble Arch side, the experience can feel more open and city-connected, particularly for families staying nearby or wanting to combine greenery with a stronger sense of London.
Early morning often gives softer light and a calmer atmosphere, especially around the more recognisable parts of the park.
Holland Park
Holland Park feels more intimate and garden-led than the larger central parks. Quieter paths, architectural details and carefully planted areas can give the portraits a more composed, enclosed feel.
The Kyoto Garden adds a distinctive character, with water, planting and layered greenery creating a setting that feels calm and visually rich without losing its London context.
It suits families who prefer a more contained West London setting, especially when they want something polished but less expansive than Hyde Park.
The park’s variety also allows the session to move between softer garden areas and more structured backgrounds without requiring a long route.
St James’s Park
The iconic Blue Bridge in St. James’s Park provides an elegant, classic London setting for couples a
St James’s Park combines greenery with a stronger sense of central London. The lake, mature trees and changing views towards the surrounding architecture give the session a more distinctly city-connected feel.
A route can begin around Horse Guards Road, move through the park and finish towards Buckingham Palace, creating a natural transition from softer park portraits to more recognisable London surroundings.
It works especially well for families who want both greenery and a sense of place without turning the session into a landmark checklist.
Early morning is usually calmer, while later in the day the park can feel busier but more atmospheric.
Neighbourhood Commons & South London Parks
Clapham Common
Clapham Common feels different from the larger central parks. It is more local, more familiar and closely connected to everyday family life in South London.
The bandstand, open grass, mature trees and quieter paths give enough variety without making the setting feel formal. It works particularly well for families with younger children, buggies or dogs, and for sessions where the focus is more on connection than on the location itself.
Because many families already know the area well, the portraits can feel especially personal — part of the neighbourhood rather than separate from it.
It can also work well as part of a longer local session, combining the Common with nearby streets or home.
Wandsworth Common
Wandsworth Common has a quieter, more intimate feel than many of London’s larger parks. Ponds, mature trees, open grass and smaller natural pockets make it especially good for portraits that feel relaxed and slightly tucked away from the city.
It works well for families who prefer a softer, less formal setting, and the mix of open and enclosed areas gives enough variety without making the session feel busy.
Morning or later-afternoon light often works beautifully here, especially around the pond areas and tree-lined paths.
Streatham Common
Streatham Common has a more residential, neighbourhood feel, making it a natural choice for families who want their portraits to feel closely connected to everyday life in South London.
Open grass, mature trees and quieter corners offer enough variety for a relaxed session without making the setting feel over-designed or formal.
It works particularly well for local families, including sessions that begin at home and continue outdoors nearby, creating a more personal sense of place.
The result can feel less like a destination photoshoot and more like a portrait of family life in the part of London they actually know.
Tooting Common
Tooting Common has a relaxed, open feel that works well for families who want natural portraits in a familiar South London setting.
Wide grassy areas, mature trees and informal paths give children space to move while keeping the session easy and unforced.
It is especially useful for local families who want a straightforward outdoor setting without travelling across London, and it can work equally well for a shorter family portrait session or a more extended outdoor experience.
The overall feel is simple, natural and very much part of everyday South London life.
Destination Landscapes
Richmond Park
Richmond Park offers a very different kind of experience from London’s more compact parks and neighbourhood commons. Its scale, open landscape and long views can make the portraits feel more expansive and less urban.
It works best for families who are comfortable walking and who want the location itself to play a stronger role in the photographs. For that reason, it can be less practical for very young children or buggies than some of the smaller parks.
The sense of space is the real strength here. The session can feel freer, quieter and more landscape-led, with room for movement and wider compositions.
Because the park is so large, the meeting point and route matter more than in other locations and are best agreed in advance.
How to Choose the Right Location
The best location depends less on which park looks most impressive and more on how your family will feel there.
For younger children, buggies or grandparents, a compact route can make the session easier.
Families who enjoy walking may prefer a larger park with more variety and wider landscapes.
Some families want recognisable London around them. Others prefer a quieter neighbourhood setting that already feels part of everyday life.
For a family in Fulham, Eel Brook Common may matter more than a grander central London park; for a family in Wandsworth Town, Spencer Park may hold the same kind of meaning. Their value is that they belong to the family’s London life.
The strongest setting is often the one that lets the family feel part of the portrait, rather than simply photographed in front of London.
Think about the atmosphere you want in the photographs, how much walking feels realistic, and whether the location should be a strong part of the story or simply give your family space to be together.
Updated September 2026.
Planning an Outdoor Family Portrait Session
If you would like to see how Pennypics outdoor family sessions are structured, including session length, what is included and how to book, explore the full experience:
