Family Mini Sessions in Dulwich Park | Spring Light, Azaleas, and Familiar Faces

Over the past couple of months, I’ve done several of family mini sessions in Dulwich Park, and they’ve been a real highlight of my spring. The park looked particularly beautiful this year — The azaleas were out, and the soft light made it easy to get those natural, relaxed family portraits. The colours were beautiful, and I was glad the timing for these mini sessions worked out so well.

Dulwich Park has become a bit of a go-to for me when shooting in this part of London, although Peckham Rye Park is also a strong contestant. It’s spacious but not overwhelming, with just enough corners to duck into for a bit of quiet — perfect for kids who take a few minutes to warm up or families who’d rather keep things low-key. Most of the families I photographed are local to East Dulwich or nearby, and many of them were return clients, which is always something I appreciate. It’s a nice rhythm to come back and photograph familiar faces, slightly older, slightly different, but still very much themselves.

The sessions are short — around 30 minutes — but I keep them relaxed. I don’t do much posing; I’d rather things unfold naturally, with a bit of direction if needed. The best photos usually happen in between. During the session, we usually take a short walk through the park — nothing too structured. I tend to start near the main path by the boating lake, then head towards the American Garden or the woodland trail, depending on the light. Sometimes we stop by the playground or just find a quiet patch of open grass. The walk helps everyone relax — kids especially — and gives us time to catch some natural moments along the way, without it feeling like a formal shoot.

If you're looking for a family photoshoot in Dulwich Park, or want simple, natural family portraits in East Dulwich, I’ll be running more of these sessions later in the year. Just get in touch if you’d like to hear when the next dates are released!