Cards in mind?
Say so when you ask, along with your posting date and any park or garden you want, so the permit and the session are booked in time for the cards.
Christmas Photoshoot in Central London
Festive family portraits in November and December for households in Westminster and the City: by your own tree, in a winter park or garden nearby, or at the studio in Northwood Hills.
The short answer
Can I book a Christmas family photoshoot in central London?
Yes. Kaushik Bathia photographs Christmas family portraits for central London households at home by the tree or outdoors in places such as St James's Park or Festival Gardens beside St Paul's. These are booked as family sessions on a date that suits you, while the short studio mini sessions run at Northwood on dates released each season; ask by phone or WhatsApp on 07956 505383. If a card is planned, ask early so the session is booked in time for the cards, and travel from Northwood is set out in your written quote.
We had our family portraits done many years ago with Kaushik Bathia and we loved them so we have now returned again this time with new additions to the family. On all the occasions we went Kaushik Bathia has taken care of everyone and made everyone laugh and smile especially the children in order to get the best photos.
We recently did a family photoshoot with our 8 months old daughter, and it was such a lovely experience. Kaushik was brilliant with her, so patient and playful, and he managed to get so many genuine smiles from her, which made a huge difference. He made us feel really comfortable throughout the shoot and never rushed us.
We had a great experience with our family photoshoot. The photographer made everyone feel relaxed and comfortable, which really shows in the final photos. The images are natural, well-captured, and beautifully edited. We’re all really happy with the results and would highly recommend.
At home
A Christmas portrait in a mansion flat or a City apartment
A Christmas portrait works just as well in a flat as in a house. The tree, a sofa and a window are usually enough, and the shorter the day, the more the tree lights do for the picture. Kaushik comes to you, about 14 miles from Northwood to Westminster and about 15 to the City, and a clear corner of the living room is all the space a family group needs.
Move a chair or two away from the tree so people can sit and stand in front of it, and switch the tree lights on early. A grandparent who cannot manage stairs is easier to include at home than anywhere else, and children are calmer in their own space. Tell us who is coming, including any dog, so the posing is planned for the whole group rather than improvised in the moment.
Outdoors in winter
Winter light in St James's Park, Hyde Park and the City's small gardens
Outdoor Christmas pictures in the centre need the low winter sun and an early start. St James's Park looks along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, with the pelicans that have lived by its lake since 1664, and Hyde Park's Serpentine gives an open stretch of water in front of bare trees. In the Royal Parks, an organised family shoot needs a wedding and lifestyle photography permit from the park office, each covering up to ten people for one hour.
In the City, Festival Gardens beside St Paul's, created in 1951 for the Festival of Britain, has benches round a lawn by a fountain, with the cathedral dome close above. Finsbury Circus Gardens near Moorgate, laid out in 1815, is another quiet green space. The City of London Corporation requires a licence or permit for organised photoshoots in its gardens and churchyards, so the location is agreed before the date.
Cards
Working back from your Christmas card posting date
A central London card has one extra step: an organised shoot in a Royal Park or a City garden needs its permit or licence first. Ask early in the autumn, give us the posting date, and the session is booked in time for the cards with the paperwork already settled.
Mini session dates are released for the season rather than fixed far in advance, so ask by phone or WhatsApp which dates are open this year. A family session at home or in a park is one route; a studio mini session out at Northwood suits families happy to make the journey, and the Christmas photoshoot page explains what a mini includes. For a Westminster or City household marking Diwali or Eid instead, those sittings follow the same short format in the studio, and Diwali can also be photographed at home: see the Diwali photoshoot and Eid photoshoot pages.
What to wear
Colours and layers that suit a London Christmas portrait
Against the bare plane trees of St James's Park or the white walls of a Pimlico flat, two or three coordinated winter colours look better than an exact match. For an outdoor session in December, a good coat becomes part of the picture rather than something to shed between frames, so choose it with the rest of the outfits. Leave big logos and slogans at home.
Children and dogs set the pace at Christmas as at any time of year, so a short session is better than a long one. Bring a snack and a spare layer for little ones, and plan the outdoor part first, while everyone is fresh and the light is still good. Travel from Northwood to your Westminster or City address is quoted up front and set out in writing before you book, and the session price is given on request.
Planning
Planning around Central London
Royal Parks permit
An organised family shoot in St James's Park or Hyde Park needs a Royal Parks wedding and lifestyle photography permit, covering up to ten people for one hour.
City gardens
Festival Gardens and Finsbury Circus need a City of London Corporation licence or permit for an organised photoshoot, so the garden is agreed early.
Tree lights on
At home, switch the tree lights on early and clear a little space in front so the family can sit and stand around it.
Dates on request
Studio mini session dates are released for the season, and home or park family sessions are fixed with you; ask on 07956 505383.
Winter settings in Central London
Royal Parks and City gardens that suit a winter family portrait, with the facts worth knowing before you choose one.
- Petticoat Lane Market: Petticoat Lane Market, on Middlesex Street and Wentworth Street at the City's Portsoken Ward boundary, has traded clothing since at least 1608, with Middlesex Street trading on Sundays and Wentworth Street from Sunday to Friday. 1
- Hyde Park: Henry VIII acquired Hyde Park from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536, Charles I opened it to the public in 1637, and Queen Caroline added the Serpentine lake in the 1730s. 2
- St James's Park: St James's Park, the Royal Park bordered by three royal palaces, looks along The Mall to Buckingham Palace and has kept pelicans by its lake since 1664, when a Russian ambassador gave them to Charles II. 3
Sources, facts checked October 2026
Town by town
Christmas sessions across Central London
Christmas sessions in central London are planned around Westminster and the City of London, both about 14 to 15 miles from Northwood.
- London (14 miles from the studio)
- Westminster (14 miles from the studio)
- City of London (15 miles from the studio)
Good to know
Christmas photoshoots in Central London: questions answered
A Christmas family session at your home or in a park is booked as a family session on a day that suits you, so ask early in the autumn. The short studio mini sessions at Northwood run on dates released for each season. Ask by phone or WhatsApp on 07956 505383, and book early if the photograph is going on a card.
Yes, with a Royal Parks wedding and lifestyle photography permit, which the park office issues for up to ten people for one hour. The lake, The Mall and the palace view make a festive backdrop on a clear winter morning.
Yes. Kaushik comes to you, about 14 miles from Northwood, and photographs the family around your own tree. A clear corner of the living room is enough, and travel is set out in your written quote before you book.
Festival Gardens beside the cathedral has benches round a lawn and a fountain, with the dome above. It is one of the City's gardens, so an organised shoot there needs a City of London Corporation licence or permit, agreed before the date.
Session prices are given on request by phone or WhatsApp, so you always get the current figure for the session you want. Travel from Northwood is quoted separately in writing before you book.
Yes. Tell us who is coming when you book so the posing suits everyone. A home session is often easiest for older relatives, and if a dog is joining an outdoor shoot, check the lead rules for the park you choose.
Ask for this season's dates
Christmas portraits for central London families
Tell us who is in the picture, whether you would like the session at home or in a park, and when your cards need posting, and we will reply with the dates that are open.
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Other counties
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