Best places for family photos in London
Planning family photos in London? These are the spots worth shortlisting, chosen for the light, the backdrop, and how easily a session comes together.
12 places to shoot family photos & videos in London
Hyde Park
The open lawns give kids room to run between setups without drifting into someone else's photo, and the Serpentine's edge is wide enough for the whole group to spread out. Weekday visits thin the crowds, so fewer strangers wander into the background of a group shot.
For family photos: room for the whole group to spread out.
Kew Gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens)
300 acres gives a family plenty of ground to spread across, from the Great Broad Walk borders to open lawns near the Palm House where kids can wander without crowding the frame. Weekday mornings keep the paths clear of tour groups, so the background stays yours.
For family photos: an easygoing setting that keeps kids engaged.
Richmond Park
The wide-open grassland gives kids space to run that a city park can't, though it pays to keep some distance while the deer are close. Go on a weekday morning when the park is at its quietest, and the whole family has the bracken mostly to itself.
For family photos: a backdrop that still feels like home year after year.
Greenwich Park
The formal avenues and the Flower Garden give young kids room to wander in view without wandering far, and the hilltop is wide enough that other visitors can be worked around rather than into. A weekday morning, ahead of the tour groups, keeps the paths for just your group.
For family photos: space to run without wandering out of frame.
Primrose Hill
The climb is short enough for small legs to manage on their own, and the open grass at the top gives room to spread a group out under a clear sky. Go early or late to keep the hilltop from filling with other visitors angling for the same skyline.
For family photos: somewhere the grandparents can reach and sit comfortably.
St James's Park
The lake loop is flat and wide enough for kids to range ahead and circle back without losing the group, and the pelicans give them something to chase with their eyes instead of the camera. Weekday mornings keep the paths near the Blue Bridge clearer of other families.
For family photos: a spot that holds a large group without a crowd behind them.
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The Regent's Park
Queen Mary's Gardens are compact enough to keep an eye on kids without them ever really leaving the frame, and the tree avenues beyond give more room to run once the formal shots are done. Weekdays are quieter here than the weekend crowds that gather for the roses.
For family photos: enough going on to keep toddlers cheerful between frames.
Hampstead Heath
The heath's ponds and woodland give kids real space to explore between shots rather than sit still for them, though the natural paths can turn muddy so plan footwear accordingly. Weekday visits leave the wide skyline view from Parliament Hill mostly clear of other groups.
For family photos: open ground for the classic everyone-together shot.
Notting Hill & Portobello Road
The pastel terraces line a residential street, so timing around the Friday and Saturday markets keeps the doorways free of stall crowds behind the family. Early morning light is even across the facades, and the street stays quiet enough for kids to wander a few doors either way.
For family photos: corners for the smaller, quieter groupings.
Barbican Conservatory
The walkways loop past small ponds and dense greenery, giving kids a path to follow that keeps them close without feeling boxed in for the shot. It's ticketed and timed, so once inside the group has the palms and ferns without a crowd pressing in around them.
For family photos: a setting that suits repeat visits as the family grows.
Horniman Museum Conservatory & Gardens
Free entry and lighter crowds than central London mean kids can move through the glasshouse at their own pace instead of squeezing past other visitors. Once the light indoors is done, the bandstand and lawns outside give them room to run before anyone's patience runs out.
For family photos: forgiving light for a group with mixed heights.
Sky Garden
A pre-booked timed slot means the whole family arrives together rather than queueing separately, and the terraced planting gives kids a path to weave through before the skyline view. It stays busy, so plan to move fast between spots and keep the group close at the rail.
For family photos: a backdrop that reads as your city, not anywhere.
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Shooting family photos in London
It depends on the spot. Public streets and sidewalks usually don't, while many parks, gardens, and landmarks require a permit for professional sessions. Each location above notes what we found on permits — confirm the current rules and any fee with the venue or city before you book.
Golden hour — the hour after sunrise or before sunset — flatters almost every location, and each spot above lists the light that works best there. Early morning also means thinner crowds at the popular ones.
Snappr pricing is flat and set before you book, with no travel or editing surprises. Most sessions run one to two hours; you can see current rates and what each tier includes on the pricing page.
Pick your date and shoot type and we match you with a vetted local photographer who shoots in London. Booking takes a couple of minutes, and you can reschedule for free if plans change.
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