Christmas Photoshoot in Oxfordshire

The short answer

Can we book a Christmas photoshoot in Oxfordshire?

Yes. Kaushik photographs Oxfordshire families in November and December at home beside the tree, outdoors in places such as Port Meadow or Spiceball Country Park, or at the Northwood studio, where the short Christmas mini sessions run. Oxford and Bicester are about 38 miles from the studio and Banbury about 51, and travel from Northwood is set out in your written quote. The studio releases its mini session dates each season rather than fixing them in advance, so ask which are open on 07956 505383.

Our usual session area is within about 20 miles of the studio. Further out in Oxfordshire, sessions are by arrangement, with travel quoted in writing before you book.

Google reviews

What families say

4.8 from 580+ Google reviews

…Kaushik has photographed our family on a number of occasions, and the experience has always been fantastic. Not only is the time that he spends with us very enjoyable, it is also a very relaxed experience as Kaushik manages to take phenomenal photos of you and your family in your everyday environment. Therefore, the photos always look very natural and relaxed.

Sonie D., Google review, 2016

We have been to Kaushik’s studio over many years for photos for passport renewals. He is very professional and has always taken the best pictures. We booked a family session recently and he did an amazing job and put us at ease for the portrait shots. Beautiful and artistic photos. We are very pleased with them. We would highly recommend his services.

Dee A., Google review, 2020

Fantastic service, Kaushik captured some amazing shots of our family. He is patient, professional, friendly and creative which really helps when trying to get pictures with young children. You never feel rushed and the final product will be something we cherish for years to come. This was our second time with Kaushik and we will be going back again. We have no hesitation in recommending him. Thank you Kaushik!

Jas A., Google review, 2015

Read all the reviews on Google

Card deadlines

Working back from the date your Oxfordshire cards go in the post

A card, a calendar for the grandparents or a framed print under the tree all need the photograph chosen and printed in good time, and the national Christmas photoshoot page sets out the general timing. For Oxfordshire the extra factor is the drive: Oxford and Bicester sit about 38 miles from Northwood and Banbury about 51, so a session at your home is a half-day trip for Kaushik and is simpler to fit into November than into the final fortnight before Christmas.

If you live in Banbury or the villages of north Oxfordshire, the session is a longer drive for Kaushik than one in Oxford, so a weekday or a Saturday morning may suit the diary better than a late December evening. Tell us the date your cards need to be posted when you first get in touch, and we will suggest a session date that leaves comfortable room for the edit and the print run.

Three-generation family in saris and suits, studio group portrait

At home

The tree, the fireplace and the stairs: a Christmas session in your own house

For a family who would rather stay put, Kaushik brings the camera to you. A living room with the tree up, children in matching pyjamas on the stairs, grandparents on the sofa with the newest grandchild: these are pictures that only work in your own house. The session is relaxed, with posing guided so nobody is left wondering where to stand, and small children set the pace.

The short minis are a studio format, so a December visit to your Oxfordshire home is a separate sitting that can be timed for the part of the day when your children are at their brightest. Switch the tree lights on before Kaushik arrives, clear one corner of the room, and decide which two or three colours the family will wear. Session prices are given on request by phone or WhatsApp, and the journey from Northwood is set out in writing before you book.

Outdoors

Frost on Port Meadow and the paths of Christ Church Meadow

Oxford has two large open spaces that look very different in winter. Port Meadow is about 300 acres of ancient common grazing beside the Thames, north-west of the city centre, still grazed by horses and cattle, so it gives a wide, open, wintry backdrop. Christ Church Meadow has riverside paths and views back to the skyline, and it is open free during daylight hours every day of the year apart from Christmas Day itself.

In Bicester, Bure Park Local Nature Reserve has woodland, hedges and the River Bure running through 21 acres, which suits a family walk in coats and scarves. In Banbury, Spiceball Country Park covers 26 acres on both sides of the Cherwell, with the Oxford Canal along its western edge. December afternoons are short, so an outdoor festive session is planned for late morning or early afternoon, while there is still good light.

Parents in traditional Gulf dress with their young daughter, studio portrait

The studio

Christmas mini sessions in Northwood for Oxfordshire families

The short Christmas mini sessions take place in the Northwood studio at 21 Joel Street, two minutes from Northwood Hills station on the Metropolitan line. A mini lasts around 20 to 30 minutes and gives you a small set of edited images: enough for the card, a framed present and a few to share. The studio is unaffected by rain, frost or a four o'clock sunset, which helps when the card has a deadline.

Dates for the season are released in the run-up to Christmas, and we do not publish them here, so call or WhatsApp to hear which days are open. From Bicester the drive is towards the M40 at junction 9; from Oxford it is about 38 miles in all. Grandparents, cousins and the family dog are welcome, as long as you tell us who is coming when you book.

What to wear

Winter colours that sit well against Cotswold stone and red brick

Honey-coloured Cotswold stone in the north of the county and the red brick of a Bicester terrace both suit muted winter shades, so choose two or three that sit together rather than matching outfits, and leave big logos in the drawer. For a walk on Port Meadow or along the Cherwell, add coats and hats you are happy to see in the pictures, because nobody looks relaxed when they are cold.

For Diwali and Eid, Oxfordshire families can book the same short studio sitting as the Christmas minis, and a Diwali session can also come to your home among your own diyas and lights. Tell us which festival, how many of you there are and roughly when, and we will reply with the options. The Oxfordshire family photography page covers year-round sessions, and the Oxfordshire photographer page lists everything else we do in the county.

Family of four in red and black lying on the studio floor

Planning

Planning around Oxfordshire

01

Post date first

Tell us when your Oxfordshire cards need to be in the post, so the session is booked in time for the cards rather than squeezed in at the last minute.

02

Christmas Day closure

Christ Church Meadow shuts on Christmas Day only, so a walk there with the camera works on any other December day while it is light.

03

Light by the river

Port Meadow and the Cherwell paths lose the sun early in winter, so outdoor festive sessions are booked for the middle of the day.

04

Tree lights on

For a session at home in Bicester, Banbury or Oxford, switch the tree lights on and clear one corner before Kaushik arrives.

05

Mini dates

Studio mini dates are released for the season and are not listed online; ask by phone or WhatsApp which days are still open.

Winter settings in Oxfordshire

The notes below cover Oxfordshire's meadows, parks and riverside walks, useful when choosing a spot for a winter family session.

Port Meadow: Port Meadow is about 300 acres of ancient common grazing land beside the River Thames north-west of the city centre, still grazed by horses and cattle. ¹
Garth Park: Garth Park on Launton Road is Bicester's town park, where Bicester Town Council is based at The Garth; the park has an inclusive play area and a skate park that opened in February 2019. ²
Bure Park Local Nature Reserve: Bure Park is an 8.4 hectare (21 acre) Local Nature Reserve in Bicester with grassland, scrub, woodland and hedges, through which the River Bure runs; it is owned by Bicester Town Council and managed by Cherwell District Council. ³

Sources, facts checked October 2026

Town by town

Christmas sessions across Oxfordshire

Oxford, Bicester and Banbury are the three Oxfordshire towns with their own pages, listed below with their distance from the Northwood studio.

Oxford (38 miles from the studio)
Bicester (38 miles from the studio)
Banbury (51 miles from the studio)

Good to know

Christmas photoshoots in Oxfordshire: questions answered

When should we book a Christmas photoshoot in Oxfordshire?+

Book with your card posting date in mind; the national Christmas photoshoot page explains the timing. A home session in Banbury or north Oxfordshire means a longer drive from Northwood, so a weekday or weekend morning in November may be easier to arrange than a date in mid December. Call or WhatsApp 07956 505383 with your posting date.

Can you photograph us at home with our Christmas tree in Oxford?+

Yes. A December visit to your home in Oxford, Bicester, Banbury or a nearby village can be timed for when your children are at their best, separate from the studio minis. The drive from Northwood to your door is quoted up front and set out in writing before you book.

Are the Christmas mini sessions held in Oxfordshire?+

The mini sessions run at the Northwood studio, about 38 miles from Oxford and Bicester and about 51 from Banbury. If you would rather not travel, Kaushik can come to you for a family session instead. Dates for the minis are released for the season, so ask which are open.

Can we have festive photos on Port Meadow?+

Yes. Port Meadow is about 300 acres of common land beside the Thames, still grazed by horses and cattle, so we choose a spot with the animals at a comfortable distance. Winter light fades early, so we plan the session for the middle of the day.

How much is a Christmas photoshoot in Oxfordshire?+

Prices are given on request by phone or WhatsApp, so you always hear the current figure for the type of session you want. The cost of travel from Northwood to your Oxfordshire home or park is set out in your written quote alongside it.

Will we get files we can use for Christmas cards?+

Yes. You receive high-resolution files that any card printer can use, and prints, frames and albums can also be ordered as presents. If any of those are presents for Oxfordshire grandparents, order them well before Christmas week.

Can our Banbury grandparents join a session in Bicester?+

Yes. Tell us who is coming when you book, so the timing, the space and the posing suit everyone. A three-generation group works well at home, in Garth Park or in the studio.

Your photographer is Kaushik Bathia, a fellow of both the BIPP and the MPA with five European Kodak Gold Awards, working from the studio he opened in Northwood in 2001.

Christmas in Oxfordshire

Planning this year's family Christmas picture?

Tell us where you live in Oxfordshire, how many of you there are and when your cards need to be posted, and we will reply with the options and the current mini session dates.