A Christmas photoshoot in London is one of my very favourite things to photograph, and December is one of the busiest months of my whole year. Families fly in from all over the world to see London dressed up for Christmas (and to see each other, which is so often the real reason), couples come over to get engaged in front of a twinkly tree, and this year's dates are already booking up. So if you're dreaming of festive family photos or a Christmas proposal, here's everything I've learned about where to go, when to go, and the one thing I'll talk you out of.
What's a Christmas photoshoot in London actually like?
Let me tell you about last December, when a family of nine came over from the States. The shoot was a Christmas present from a daughter to her mum, and we walked London at Christmas from end to end over two hours: Parliament Square first, then up to the Christmas market that was on in Trafalgar Square, and on to Covent Garden with every decoration up.
Halfway round the market, the grown-ups decided it was high time for a mulled wine to warm everyone up, and very kindly bought the boys a mulled cider each, because in the States cider means apple juice. I'd stepped back to grab some candids, spotted three boys clutching steaming cups, and asked, all innocence, "Oh, are you guys having some hot chocolate?"
"It's mulled cider."
"Don't drink that. It's alcoholic!"
Nobody had taken a single sip, I promise. The grown-ups rose to the occasion magnificently and ended up chucking back a mulled wine AND a mulled cider each, and I do believe I've got photos of them double-cupped, as it were.
They were such a super bunch, and we had so much fun. Afterwards the daughter who'd booked it wrote this:
"By the time picture day came around, she knew everyone's names (there were 9 of us, no small feat) and made everyone feel so comfortable."
And another member of the family added her own review:
"Made my kids feel so comfortable, and effortlessly wrangled our large group with ease and a smile."
Nine people, two hours, one near-miss with the cider, and a family Christmas in London they'll have on the wall for years. That's what a Christmas photoshoot here is like, at its best.
Where's the best place for a Christmas photoshoot in London?
Covent Garden, every time. It's my favourite place in the whole city at Christmas, because the displays are just gorgeous and because it's one of the easiest places in London to photograph a big group. It does get busy (it was busy when that family of nine and I arrived), but there's room to move. We took our time, made sure everyone was comfortable, and still got brilliant photos of the whole group.
Leadenhall Market is another favourite, especially for couples. It's covered, it's Victorian, it has a beautiful Christmas tree, and it's the place I recommend most for a December proposal, because the roof means the rain can do what it likes.
And if you want the big landmarks in your photos too, we can do what the family of nine did and start in Westminster, then make our way towards the festive part of town. That way you get Big Ben AND the Christmas decorations in one shoot.
Can we do a Christmas lights or night-time photoshoot?
I know, I KNOW. A night-time sparkle behind you sounds like the dream, and it's one of the first things people ask me about every single year. But it's a no from me, and there's a good reason for it.
To photograph you properly in the dark I'd need a flash and lighting kit, and that just doesn't work on London's streets in December, which are absolutely RAMMED. With that many people around it's almost impossible to separate you from the crowd, so instead of a beautiful photo of your family under the lights, you'd end up with a grainy photo of your family and forty strangers' elbows. (Not quite the Christmas card you had in mind!)
So what DO I do? Festive photos in daylight, around the Christmas decorations, where you can see every face and every bit of the city behind you.
What about Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park?
Winter Wonderland is a definite no from me too. Go for the fun of it, by all means, but there are far too many people and not enough light there to get the kind of photos you'd actually want to frame. I'd much rather take you somewhere with the decorations AND the space to photograph you properly, which is exactly why Covent Garden is top of my list.
What time of day is best for a Christmas photoshoot in London?
Daytime, and we plan the shoot around the daylight. In December the sun comes up at about eight and is gone before four, so the light gets going from around nine and we'll be finished well before it starts to fade. I'll suggest the best time for your spot when we plan your shoot.
The bonus? I LOVE winter light. The sun stays low in the sky all day, so you get that soft, flattering, golden light for hours instead of a few precious minutes, and nobody has to squint.
Is Christmas a good time to propose in London?
It's one of the most popular times of the whole year for it, and I can see why. The city is dressed up, everyone's in a celebratory mood, and you'll be announcing your news just in time for every family gathering going.
Everything works exactly as it does the rest of the year. We'll plan the spot and the timing together, I'll be in position before you arrive, and in a decade of photographing proposals no partner has ever spotted me. You'll get a sneak peek the same day, so you can share the news while you're still out celebrating. Everything you need to know is on my London proposal photography page.
Will I get my photos in time for Christmas?
Your gallery arrives within 10 to 14 days of your shoot, so if you'd like the photos for your Christmas cards or presents, book for early December. And if your shoot is closer to Christmas, there's express editing: for an extra £250, your gallery lands within 72 hours of the end of your shoot.
This is also why it pays to get in touch early. December is one of my busiest months, so the sooner you book, the more choice of dates you'll have.
Can I give a London photoshoot as a Christmas present?
You absolutely can, and the family of nine is proof that it's a really lovely thing to give. My Christmas voucher costs £100 and gives £200 towards any one- or two-hour photoshoot in 2027, for photoshoots booked by 1 December 2027. It's on sale until Thursday 10 December 2026, and you can buy it as a gift or treat yourself. You'll find it on my Christmas gift voucher page.
Great questions, honest answers
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I don't photograph at night, Christmas lights included. Photographing people properly in the dark means flash and lighting kit, which doesn't work on London's packed December streets, and the crowds make it almost impossible to separate you from everyone else. All my Christmas photoshoots happen in daylight, around the festive decorations, with Covent Garden my favourite spot.
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No, Winter Wonderland is a definite no from me. It's a fun day out, but there are far too many people and not enough light to get the kind of photos you'd want to frame. For festive photos I'll take you somewhere you get the Christmas decorations and the space to be photographed properly, such as Covent Garden.
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Covent Garden is my favourite, for its Christmas displays and because it's one of the easiest places in London to photograph a big group. Leadenhall Market is lovely too, with its Victorian roof and Christmas tree, and a route through Westminster lets you add the big landmarks before the festive part of the shoot.
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The same as any other time of year. For a 2026 shoot, a 30-minute midweek mini is £525, one hour is £695 on a weekday or £795 at the weekend, and two hours is £895 or £995. A £175 deposit secures your date and the balance is due a week before. 2027 prices are on my pricing page.
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Yes. My Christmas voucher costs £100 and gives £200 towards any one- or two-hour photoshoot in 2027, for photoshoots booked by 1 December 2027. It's on sale until Thursday 10 December 2026, and you can buy it as a gift or for yourself.
Ready to plan your Christmas photoshoot in London?
Whether it's the whole family together in London for the first time in years, a proposal in front of the tree, or a Christmas card you'll actually love sending, I'd love to help you plan it. Have a look at my London family photoshoots and London vacation photoshoots, and you'll find every price on my London photoshoot pricing page.
Get in touch here, tell me who's coming and what you'd love to see, and let's get your date in the diary.