Out of all of the souvenirs you could get to commemorate your London trip, professional photos from a London photo session are the ones you’ll love the most, and for the rest of your life!
It’s become quite popular for London visitors to book photo shoots with professional photographers in order to get the most beautiful photos possible. If you’re thinking about booking a London photo session, here’s what you should know before you do.
Image courtesy of Ewa Horaczko
The photographer matters
Because London is such a creative city, there are tons of freelance photographers you could hire for your London photo session. But not all photographers are created equal. To get the best pictures possible, you’ll want someone who:
Has experience with first-timers
We’re guessing that you’re not a professional model, right? And maybe you’ve never even had a professional shoot done before. So you want a photographer who has experience with first-timers, who are often nervous and stiff when starting out. A GOOD photographer knows how to make you feel comfortable and relaxed.
Has experience shooting near the sites
Most people who book a London vacation photography session want photos with some of the most famous attractions in London, like Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge. These are some of the busiest areas in the city, and there are often obstacles that pop up unexpectedly, like protests. So you’ll want to find a photographer that has experience dealing with things like that, and who knows great alternatives nearby for photos that are just as good.
A good test is if you ask for a photo shoot around 11 am in front of Buckingham Palace. On many days, Changing the Guard is happening at that time, so if they don’t mention that, then they probably don’t have enough experience in dealing with shooting in tourist areas.
Image courtesy of Ewa Horaczko
How to deal with the weather
London’s weather is fairly unpredictable, and you may end up with a cloudy or rainy day for your photo shoot. That’s totally ok though– any good photographer knows how to get incredible photos, despite an ugly day.
To make yourself more comfortable during your shoot, just be sure to watch the forecast carefully the day before and dress yourself accordingly. Chances are, the shoot will be outside the entire time, so make sure you have bundled up if it’s cold, or have layers you can take off if it’s hot.
Finally, if you find yourself (luckily) with a sunny day for your shoot, don’t forget your sunglasses!
Try to schedule your shoot during golden hour
“Golden Hour” is a photography term referencing the beautiful golden glow that you’ll often see just before the sun sets or just after it rises. It makes for beautiful photos. Let your photographer know that you’d like to take advantage of golden hour and they can usually suggest what time that would be for the day you want to book.
Image courtesy of Ewa Horaczko
What to wear for a London Photo Session
You’ll want to wear anything you’re comfortable in, and that fits your own style and personality. If you’re very uncomfortable in what you’re wearing, or feel out of place, it could definitely come across in your photos. They should be a reflection of you, so keep that in mind when picking what to wear.
For your London Photo Session we suggest you bring an item for variation- an alternative jacket, or a hat, are two popular options.
Locations may change last minute
As mentioned earlier, since you’ll likely be shooting in some of the busiest parts of the city, unexpected elements may pop up that means you can’t shoot in your originally-chosen locations. That’s ok! Just be flexible, and if you’ve got a great photographer, they will know some great alternatives that you’ll love taking photos with just as much.
Meet our favourite photographer, Ewa!
Ewa is a professional photographer with many years of experience. She offers a range of services from travel photos, to engagements/proposals, weddings and events.
Ewa is not only knowledgeable and talented, but also a Londoner who knows how to avoid the typical London crowds, construction, and poor weather that often turn visitors’ decent photos into bad ones.
Instead of worrying about asking strangers to take your photo and stressing about making sure you get a few great photos of your whole travel group, your photographer will do it for you. Ewa will make it easy and fun, and the results will be beautiful photos that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
If you refer us when booking with Ewa, you’ll get 10% extra photos!
Use the referral code LOVE AND LONDON to get 10% extra photos.
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