Teen Portrait Photography in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Helen Bartlett is a London family photographer with over 20 years’ experience and a Canon Ambassador since 2017, working in a natural, black and white documentary style across London’s parks and gardens. This post is a sneak preview from a teen portrait session in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, photographed for a family Helen has known for a decade.
A ten year returning client photographed in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, with portraits found in a shaded tunnel, in silhouette, and against strong summer backlight.
Session at a glance
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, London W2
Teen portrait photography
A ten year returning client, silhouette portraits, backlit and reflection techniques
Natural, documentary, lifestyle, black and white
A morning session
Helen Bartlett, Canon Ambassador, 20+ years’ experience, award winning
It’s ten years since I first photographed this wonderful young lady and it’s always a high point of my summer to see the family, catch up on news and update their portrait photographs.
Often we do our sessions with her two older siblings but this year it was a special session with just her and what a joy it was to spend a morning together in London’s beautiful Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens creating wonderful images to treasure.
Portraits in the tunnel near Kensington Palace
Some of my favourite images are from the beautiful, shaded vine tunnel by Kensington Palace, which is such a lovely spot. The arched canopy creates a lovely composition, and the light is magical, it’s perfect for a very shallow depth of field photograph to really bring out the highlights with beautiful bokeh. Kensington Gardens is cared for by the Royal Parks charity and is full of quiet corners just like this one, tucked away from the main paths.
Back in 2013 I photographed her older sister here in a photograph that has always been a favourite, and so I’m really pleased that I took my favourite shot from this session here too, an image that echoes back and also looks forward to the future, maybe I will get to photograph the two girls here together next year.
Finding teenage silhouettes in Hyde Park
I always enjoy finding things that are a little bit different on my photo shoots and it was great to find a spot for a cool silhouette on this portrait shoot. I love the mystery of a silhouette, we can see so much from so little, the attitude of a pose, the tilt of a head, there is so much personality on show and yet so many details are hidden.
I also loved using the strong backlight for the dandelion clock image which opens this blog post. Using the strong backlight and positioning myself so that some dense trees created this dark background I was able to create a really dramatic image on a bright sunny Wednesday morning. I love how photography can do this, by seeing the possibilities and having the technical skills to realise my vision I can create something unexpected and delightful for my clients.
Creative portrait angles in Kensington Gardens
I’m always looking for ways to create interest in my portrait photographs whether that is framing my subject within something such as the branches of a tree or the curve of a park bench, I love to create structure to my compositions.
I also love to add interest where I can such as using long grass as a framing effect or, as in the picture above, utilising my phone screen to create a reflection, adding in an unexpected dimension to this lovely outdoor portrait.
Using Hyde Park’s open spaces
The amazing parks of London give so many opportunities for beautiful portraits, from a dramatic shot looking up towards the Hyde Park bandstand to a classic portrait framed by foliage sat on a fallen tree trunk. There are so many options and opportunities for beautiful portrait photographs.
My subject was a dream, enjoying a morning with her mum and the prospect of a post photo shoot treat, we had a great time together and I’m thrilled with the results.
Frequently asked questions about teen portrait sessions in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Yes, teenagers are one of my favourite ages to photograph, and Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are two of my go to locations for teen portrait sessions in London. Between the wide open lawns, quiet corners like the shaded tunnel near Kensington Palace, and lovely early morning light, there is so much variety to work with.
Both work beautifully, and I often use them together in the same session as I did here. Hyde Park gives dramatic open spaces and interesting structures like the bandstand, while Kensington Gardens offers shaded, more intimate corners such as the tunnel by the Palace, perfect for a softer, more considered portrait.
I find teenagers relax fastest when they are not asked to pose. Instead I look for natural moments and quieter techniques such as silhouettes, reflections and interesting framing, which give them something to focus on other than the camera itself.
I do, and many of my favourite sessions are with families I have known for many years. This session marked ten years since I first photographed this family, and returning to a familiar location with a now much older subject is one of the real joys of long term family photography.
I nearly always favour an early start. The light is softer and more flattering, the parks are quieter, and teenagers feel less self conscious with fewer people around. The strong backlight in this session, used for the dandelion clock image, came from a bright sunny Wednesday morning.
Is this the right session for your family?
This kind of session suits families with teenagers who would love natural, unposed portraits rather than a formal studio sitting, especially if you already know and love Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens, or if you are thinking about a return session as your children grow. I photograph families across London and the UK in a natural, documentary black and white style, and I would love to hear from you if this sounds like the right fit.
Book your family photo shoot now
If you have enjoyed this blog post and would like to arrange a family photo shoot for your children this summer or autumn then do get in touch. As a Canon Ambassador with over 20 years’ experience photographing families across London, I have some availability in the next few weeks, and then early autumn gets very busy indeed. Christmas deadlines will be on us before we know it, so drop me a line via the contact form and together we can plan the perfect family photo shoot for your children.
