Natural, stylish photos that capture your real-life love story

Most couples don’t have that many great photos of themselves together. I mean, you’ve probably got a ton of selfies and plenty of phone snaps from parties or holidays, but not many you’d keep on the bedside table or put in a frame for your mum. That’s where I come in. I LOVE making stylish, relaxed photos that capture you at your best together. No stiff suit or fancy wedding dress to manage, no wedding reception to rush back to, just the three of us hanging out somewhere special to you, making some pics.

Some people call it an engagement shoot, others call it a pre-wedding session, but you don’t need to be engaged, you could even be married already. All that matters is you’re at least kind of into each other…

What are my engagement / couples / pre-wedding sessions like?

I think keeping things simple makes it much easier for you:

  • we’ll spend about 60-90 minutes in total
  • ideally in one location or neighbourhood
  • and only one outfit – each, obviously!

With fewer distractions we can relax and explore the location, instead of racing around London lugging a bag of outfits and makeup trying to tick off landmarks. Most couples find they’re ‘done’ after about an hour, longer than that can be draining for you, even when we’re making relaxed shots. And limiting the locations and outfits means the photos are more about you, rather than just of you.

We’ll pick a spot to meet up, have a brief chat once we get there, and then we’re off! Everything is very laid-back – we’ll often start with a few ‘cheesy’ snuggling shots to break the ice but after that a lot of the best shots happen when you’re just wandering along holding hands while I jump in and out of bushes finding creative angles.

Occasionally we’ll find a great spot and I’ll stop and pose you a little. As well as giving you things to do with your hands (steady on!) I might suggest silly stuff like “write your name on her forehead with your nose” or “see how long you can stare at each other without laughing” – if anything really isn’t your style that’s fine, just let me know – and if anything makes you laugh, that’s fine too, I want to capture your personalities!

Want to find out more?

Say hello today!

If you’re interested in an engagement photography session with me (or a pre-wedding session, or couples portraits, or whatever you’d like to call it!) then I’d love to find out more. Drop me a line and I’ll get back to you personally.

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Where are the best places in London for an engagement photoshoot?

I’m happy to go pretty much anywhere at all and so the best location is usually somewhere that means something to you both. A lot of my engagement session couples choose a park they spent a lot of time in together. Some choose a neighbourhood they lived in when they were dating. Others choose somewhere near where they met or had their first date.

The Royal Parks, such as Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Regent’s Park, or Hyde Park, are very popular locations because they have so much variety, lots of trees and flowers, and a good view of the sunset if we shoot in the evening. Bear in mind we may need to pay for a permit to shoot in certain parks.

You don’t have to pick a nature spot; a favourite neighbourhood makes a good choice too, especially if the people and shopkeepers round there know you – we could pop into your favourite coffee shop for an espresso and a cute picture together.

Venturing into central London means there’s more chance of a famous landmark popping up in the background – but so will a lot of Londoners and tourists! We may also face a few more challenges dodging private property security the closer we get to locations like the London Eye.

Personally, if we’re in London I prefer to embrace the chaos than spend ages waiting for the perfect tourist-free background in front of Big Ben. That said, I do know a lovely spot opposite the Houses of Parliament… but all the tourists probably know about it too!

So I always say for personal photos like these it’s better to think about the vibes than to tick off the landmarks. The best shots tend to be the natural ones of you walking hand in hand through London’s streets – sneaking a kiss in amongst the hustle and bustle of Borough Market can feel so much more ‘real’ than a cheesy snap with Tower Bridge in the background.

How much is a London engagement shoot?

Pricing varies seasonally, and there’s a discount if you book it with your wedding photography. In summer a single session starts at around £500 mid-week and £600 on weekends. That includes a pre-shoot get-together on Zoom, a 60-90 minute session in London, my travel, all the editing, a private online gallery, and usually around 30-60 finished photos to download as high resolution digital files.

Outside of London I charge travel expenses at cost, plus occasionally an additional fee for extended travel time.

When's the best time for a shoot?

The best weather and light is usually April to September, and October’s autumnal colours can be lovely too. November to early March is obviously a lot colder, windier, and wetter. On sunny days the best time of day is often the evening, for the ‘golden hour’ and sunset. It’s best to avoid overhead midday sunshine, so afternoons or mornings are the next best time to shoot.

Mid-week dates have the best availability and can usually be booked any time; available weekends are opened for engagement shoots up to 3 weeks in advance.