Best Outdoor Locations for a Maternity Photoshoot in London
Updated: Oct 6
An outdoor maternity photoshoot in London begins with the portrait, not the location.
The setting matters because it can add atmosphere, a sense of place and something recognisably London to the photographs, without taking attention away from you.
For some women, that means a familiar local park already connected to everyday life. For others, it means a more recognisable central setting or a larger landscape where the season becomes part of the portrait.
This guide compares some of the London locations Pennypics uses most often and explains what each one can offer for maternity portraits.
If you are also deciding when to plan your session:
Choosing a Setting for Your Outdoor Maternity Photoshoot in London
Think less about finding the “best” park, and more about the mood you want around your portrait.
For this guide, the locations fall into three broad groups:
Central & West London Parks
Neighbourhood Commons & South London Parks
Destination Landscapes
Central & West London Parks
Battersea Park
Battersea Park is one of the most versatile London settings for maternity portraits.
Open lawns, mature trees, the lake, the bandstand, riverside paths and views towards Albert Bridge allow the session to move between softer greenery and more structured London backgrounds without travelling far.
That variety makes it especially useful if you want the location to add character without dominating the portrait.
A shorter route can also work well later in pregnancy, while morning light often gives the park a quieter, more flattering atmosphere.
Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens offer more than one kind of London portrait setting within the same area.
Around the Italian Gardens, the setting feels more romantic and composed, shaped by symmetry and architectural detail.
Early morning is often the strongest choice here, especially around the more recognisable parts of the park.
St James’s Park
St James’s Park brings a stronger sense of central London into the portrait.
The lake, mature trees and surrounding architecture create a setting that feels elegant and recognisably connected to the city, without needing the photographs to become landmark-led.
A strong choice if you want the portrait to carry a clear sense of London while still keeping the setting refined and understated.
Early morning is usually the easiest time to work here, before the park becomes busier.
Neighbourhood Commons & South London Parks
Wandsworth Common
Wandsworth Common is one of the strongest South London settings for maternity portraits when you want something quieter, softer and more connected to everyday London life.
The ponds, open grass, wooded paths and smaller natural pockets give plenty of variety without making the location feel formal or over-designed.
It works especially well when you want the portrait to feel intimate in scale, while still having enough space for movement and wider compositions.
A strong choice if you prefer a more local, understated London setting with a softer natural feel.
Morning and later-afternoon light can work particularly beautifully here, especially around the pond areas and quieter paths.
Clapham Common
Clapham Common has a more open, everyday South London character.
The bandstand, open grass and quieter paths give enough variety for maternity portraits without making the setting feel formal.
It works particularly well if you already live nearby or want the photographs to feel connected to your own part of London rather than to a destination park.
A strong choice for a local, familiar setting where the portrait remains the focus and the location adds a clear sense of South London life.
It can also work well as part of a longer session that begins at home and continues outdoors nearby.
If you prefer a local South London setting, you can also consider Tooting Common, Streatham Common, Dulwich Park or another green space already connected to your everyday life.
The principle is the same: choose a setting that gives the portrait the mood you want without asking the location to do too much.
Destination Landscapes
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath has a character of its own: informal, understated and distinctly Londoner.
It feels less like a formal portrait destination and more like part of local life, with open ground, winding paths and occasional views that bring the city back into the picture.
That gives maternity portraits a relaxed, confident London mood, while still allowing the portrait itself to remain composed and intentional.
A strong choice if you are drawn to a cooler, less polished kind of London elegance.
Richmond Park
Richmond Park gives the portrait more space to breathe.
Its scale, long views and open landscape create a more expansive setting, with the location playing a stronger role in the final photographs than in a compact London park or neighbourhood common.
That makes it especially suited to maternity portraits where you want a stronger sense of season, space and landscape around you.
A strong choice if you are happy to travel for a more immersive, destination-style London setting.
Because the park is so large, the meeting point and route are worth agreeing in advance so the session stays focused and comfortable.
Beyond the Parks: Maternity Portraits Around Your London
An outdoor maternity portrait does not have to mean a park.
A familiar street, a favourite neighbourhood, a beautiful London mews or a short walk through the part of the city that already belongs to your life can give the photographs a very different kind of meaning.
Think of Pimlico Road, the streets around Sloane Square and the Saatchi Gallery, a quieter Chelsea street, or simply somewhere you already love walking. Architecture, shopfronts, doorways and everyday London details can all become part of the portrait without turning the session into sightseeing.
And if you already have a place in mind, say so. It may be somewhere Pennypics has photographed before, or somewhere new worth discovering and interpreting through maternity portraiture.
The result can feel more personal, more urban and more connected to the life you are already living in London.
For a broader look at Pennypics’ location-led and editorial portrait work:
How to Choose the Right Location
The strongest location is usually the one that supports the portrait without asking too much from you.
Think about the mood you want, how far you are happy to travel, how much walking feels realistic and whether the setting should feel recognisably London or simply part of your everyday life.
You do not need to work that out alone. Pennypics can help narrow the choice and shape the route around the kind of maternity portraits you want to create.
Planning Your Outdoor Maternity Photoshoot in London
If you would like to see how Pennypics outdoor maternity sessions are structured, including timing, session format and how to book:
For broader maternity planning:
