Family Photography in Herne Hill and Brockwell Park
A returning South West London family photographed across Brockwell Park and their own garden, with three generations, a teenager’s first ride on the little train, and a relaxed finish at home in Herne Hill. Published September 2026.
Session at a glance
Herne Hill and Brockwell Park, South West London
Family photography – both outdoors and at home
Two young children plus a teenager
Grandparents, siblings, garden play, a ride on the Brockwell Park land train
Natural, black and white, documentary with some relaxed family groups
Helen Bartlett – Canon Ambassador, 23 years’ experience
South West London Family Photography
Welcome to my blog. Today I’m sharing a sneak preview of some favourite images from a wonderful family photography session in Herne Hill and Brockwell Park in South West London. This was my second photo shoot with this family – we met for the first time last year – and it was such a pleasure to see them again.
Regular sessions are a big part of my work, and I absolutely love building up relationships with clients over the years. I’ve been working as a family photographer here in London for 23 years now, and I have a number of clients I’ve been working with for more than two decades. I hope that will be the case with this family, and that together we will create an amazing set of images of the children’s lives that they will be able to treasure as they grow up.
Planning a family photo shoot with very young children and a teenager
It’s always fun to work out the best plan for a family photo shoot that will work with the ages of the children involved.
I always find an early start is a good thing when photographing children of any age. For little ones, it means we can make the most of the early morning energy and get some pictures in before any mid-morning naps. For older children and teenagers – while often a later start would be their initial preference – this is outweighed by the benefits of being out and about before the crowds, as no teenager wants to bump into their friends in the middle of a photo shoot.
I arrived at 8am and we started the day with coffee, pan-con-tomato (what a treat!), and then it was off to the park.
Brockwell Park as a location for family photography
It’s been a while since I’ve been to Brockwell Park, and it was wonderful to visit this fantastic location for family photographs. We headed straight for a shady area, as even early the sun was strong, and this gave us a good base for the first bit of play.
The trees created lovely soft light for some group shots, and I always like to get a few of these first thing – you never know how the day will go when working with kids, and it’s good to have something in the bag.
Then it was time to play, and this is where all the real magic tends to happen.
Family play and interactions in Brockwell Park
I love seeing how families play together – the games they enjoy, whether that is playing with cars or running around, climbing trees, or throwing the little ones in the air. As I often say to my clients, the best pictures happen when everyone is having fun, so relax, forget the camera, and enjoy the day.
This family finds the fun everywhere. Watching them interact together in the most wonderful way, it was such a pleasure to see the great relationships between everyone.
Brilliant grandparents
The relationships between the children and their grandparents are a particular joy to see and to photograph, and it’s lovely to see how much they adore each other. These sorts of pictures, which capture real moments of love and interaction, are so special and something that will be treasured. I think I was most in awe of the turn of speed of Grandad as he raced for a ball on the football field – I hope I have that level of energy and fitness when I am older.
A ride on the Brockwell Park land train
Our last activity at Brockwell Park was a ride on the little train. There are some activities that, as children, we always want to do and never get the opportunity. For the eldest, now in her teens, a ride on the little train was this activity. It was so exciting to have a ride on our photo shoot and fulfil a childhood dream. The little ones enjoyed it too, of course, but I think it was our fun-loving teenager who was most excited. I enjoyed the challenge of both running alongside the train and then working with a slow shutter speed and panning technique to bring a sense of speed to the images and create something unique.
Back home for the garden in Herne Hill
We finished our session back home in the garden, which had been newly renovated and was looking stunning. The children had such fun being pulled around on a picnic rug, which made a fantastic sleigh, and then pretending to be tiny owls, all snuggly and warm.
A relaxed end to a session like this is really joyful. Everyone relaxes, feeling the main part of the session is over, and I can work around the laughter, taking pictures as moments happen in front of me. Often some of my favourite images are from these last minutes of our session.
Book an autumn family photo shoot
If you have enjoyed what you have seen on the blog today, and would be interested in booking a family photo shoot in Brockwell Park, Herne Hill, or elsewhere in London, then do drop me a message via the contact form or give me a call, and together we can plan a session. Autumn is getting very busy now, with only a handful of weekend dates before the Christmas deadlines (there is more availability midweek if you have pre-school children, and during October half-term).
I’d be delighted to meet your family and create images for you and your children to treasure.
This session will resonate with families who already have children of very different ages, from toddlers to teenagers, and who want images that include grandparents and siblings together in one relaxed morning. I photograph families across London and the UK, and as a Canon Ambassador with 23 years’ experience, I’d love to hear from you if you’re planning a family photography session in South West London or beyond.
Frequently asked questions
I like to make an early start when children of any age are involved, so I typically arrive around 8am and spend the whole morning with a family. This unhurried pace gives us time to explore the park, take a ride on the little train, and finish with relaxed pictures back home in the garden.
Absolutely, and some of my favourite images come from exactly this kind of mixed generation session. Grandparents racing for a football, big sisters looking after little ones, everyone finding the fun together: these are the moments I love to photograph. Here is a useful blog post on extended family photo shoots.
I always plan the day around the youngest and oldest children at once. An early start suits little ones, who have their best energy before mid-morning naps, and it suits teenagers too, since it means being out and about before their friends are around. Then it’s about having fun and letting everyone interact together without any pressure.
It means the images in this post are a small taster of the full gallery. I share a sneak preview so friends, family, and prospective clients can get a feel for a session before the family sees their full set of photographs at their viewing session.
Yes, I work across London, the wider UK, and Europe. This session was in South West London, but I regularly photograph families in parks and gardens right across the city and beyond.
