Richmond Hill
A view protected by the 1902 Open Spaces Act and painted by Turner and Reynolds: a wide river backdrop for a standing bump portrait.
Maternity Photographer in South London
Bump portraits between 28 and 34 weeks, on a South London hill with a view, in a walled garden or at home, for you alone or with your partner and children.
The short answer
When and where can I have a maternity photoshoot in South London?
The best time is between about 28 and 34 weeks, when the bump is clearly rounded and you are still comfortable. Kaushik Bathia photographs maternity sessions at home or outdoors across South London, from Richmond Hill and Terrace Gardens to Greenwich Park and Hilly Fields. Prices are given on request by phone or WhatsApp, and travel from Northwood is set out in your written quote before you book.
We had a baby and family photo shoot with Kaushik over the weekend. He was extremely professional and very good with our baby! He has all the tricks and toys to make our little one smile and laugh during the shoot (which kept us entertained too!) would highly recommend Kaushik for baby photo shoots! Many thanks for capturing such beautiful photos for us!
Kaushik has photographed my wife and me for the bump to baby photo shoot. We really enjoyed it. He knows how to make us smile and look happy and relaxed. We really appreciate his work and we look forward to meet him on our next appointment for the newborn photo shoot! Thank you again Kaushik!
Great customer service and very professional. I booked a family photo session with him for a Sunday evening at 5pm however, got stuck in traffic and couldn't get to the studio until 5:45 pm. He was very patient and waited until we got to there. He was very good at making my daughter smile in all the pictures.
Timing
Fitting a 28 to 34 week shoot into a South London pregnancy
For a South London bump session, the window to aim for is about 28 to 34 weeks, with the bump well rounded and standing still easy. One South London point is worth planning for: the views here come from hills, so Richmond Hill, the top of Greenwich Park and Hilly Fields at 175 feet all involve a climb. Keep a hilltop for the earlier part of the window, or pick the entrance with the shortest walk if your date falls later.
Outdoors, the season shapes the plan. A due date in late summer puts the session in spring, with blossom and long evenings; a spring baby means a winter shoot, when a home session is the more comfortable choice. Tell us your due date when you call and we will work backwards to the best weeks.
South-west London
Richmond Hill, Terrace Gardens and the view protected by Parliament
The view from Richmond Hill is the only view in England protected by an Act of Parliament, the Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act 1902, and both Turner and Reynolds painted it. For a maternity portrait it gives a wide, soft background of river and trees. Terrace Gardens, just below on the hill, is a formal garden overlooking the Thames, with a rose garden and a thatched summer house that make good places to sit between pictures.
Richmond Park itself, with its deer and King Henry's Mound, is a Royal Park, and lifestyle photography there needs a permit from the park office covering up to ten people for one hour. Terrace Gardens is a council garden, and Marble Hill in Twickenham has more than 60 acres of riverside parkland around a Palladian villa. The Richmond family page has more on the borough.
South-east London
Greenwich Park, Blackheath and Hilly Fields for the skyline
South-east London is higher ground, and that means views. Greenwich Park gives sweeping views of the London skyline from its highest hill and from One Tree Hill, and its Flower Garden is an Edwardian showpiece framed by cedar and tulip trees. It is a Royal Park, so the same lifestyle permit applies as at Richmond. Blackheath, straddling Lewisham and Greenwich along the A2, looks out over London, Essex, Kent and Surrey.
Hilly Fields near Ladywell rises to 175 feet above sea level with views over Lewisham and the City, and has a café for a sit-down. Sydenham Wells Park has formal gardens, mature trees and water features if you would rather have shelter than a view. More local ideas are on the Greenwich and Lewisham pages.
Indoors
A maternity shoot at home when the hills can wait
At 34 weeks, the best location is sometimes your own sofa. Kaushik comes to your home with the camera, and a bedroom window or a bright sitting room gives soft, flattering light for bump portraits. It also makes it easy to include the nursery you have been building, an older child in pyjamas or the cat that will not leave your lap. Posing is guided gently, so you never have to wonder where your hands go.
Homes across South London sit about 12 to 20 miles from Northwood, and travel from Northwood is quoted up front and set out in writing before you book. If you would rather have clean backdrops and controlled light, the Northwood studio is the other option, two minutes from Northwood Hills station on the Metropolitan line.
Clothes
What to wear for bump portraits by the river or on the heath
The aim is to show the bump, not hide it. Bring one fitted piece that follows the shape and one long, flowing dress that moves when you walk. Plain colours read better in a picture than busy prints do. Partners do best in plain, mid-tone clothes that sit with yours without matching exactly.
Outdoors, bring flat shoes for walking between spots and a coat for the gaps. Older children are welcome in the frame and often make the warmest pictures of the set. For more detail, see the national maternity photoshoot page.
Planning
Planning around South London
Terrace Gardens
A formal garden on Richmond Hill with a rose garden and a thatched summer house, useful for a seated portrait between walks.
Royal Parks permit
Richmond Park and Greenwich Park need a lifestyle photography permit from the park office, for up to ten people for one hour.
Hilly Fields café
At 175 feet above sea level, with views to the City and a café nearby, it suits a later-weeks shoot with a rest built in.
Home and travel
A home shoot avoids hills altogether, and travel from Northwood is set out in your written quote before you book.
Outdoor settings for a maternity shoot in South London
Gardens, hills and parks across South London that work for bump portraits, each with its source.
- Nonsuch Park: Nonsuch Park, between Stoneleigh, Cheam and Ewell, has been jointly managed by Sutton and Epsom and Ewell councils since 1937 and covers the site of Nonsuch Palace, which Henry VIII had built in 1538. 1
- Dogs in Richmond Park: The Royal Parks asks visitors to keep dogs on short leads all year round in Richmond Park to protect wildlife. 2
- Wandsworth Common: Wandsworth Common, common land of medieval origin with extra legal protection, has woods, lakes and heath, and separate dog control maps cover its SW11 and SW18 sides. 3
- Bushy Park: Bushy Park, near Hampton Court Palace in the Hampton Wick area, covers more than 1,000 acres with resident deer herds and Wren's Diana Fountain, and the Royal Parks asks for dogs on short leads from March to September to protect nesting skylarks. 4
- Archbishop's Park: Archbishop's Park on Carlisle Lane (SE1 7LE) was once part of the Lambeth Palace grounds, opened to the public in 1901 and holds a Green Flag Award. 5
Sources, facts checked October 2026
Town by town
Maternity sessions across South London
South London towns and boroughs we cover for maternity sessions, with the distance from Northwood for each and links to local pages.
- Richmond upon Thames (12 miles from the studio)
- Wandsworth (14 miles from the studio)
- Kingston upon Thames (14 miles from the studio)
- Lambeth (15 miles from the studio)
- Southwark (15 miles from the studio)
- New Malden (15 miles from the studio)
- Tooting (16 miles from the studio)
- Merton (16 miles from the studio)
- Sutton (19 miles from the studio)
- Greenwich (19 miles from the studio)
- Lewisham (20 miles from the studio)
Good to know
Maternity photoshoots in South London: questions answered
It is one of the best-known views in South London: the only view in England protected by an Act of Parliament. Terrace Gardens just below gives a rose garden and summer house for seated pictures. For anything inside Richmond Park, a Royal Parks lifestyle permit is needed from the park office.
Yes. Greenwich Park is a Royal Park, and wedding, family portrait and other lifestyle photography there needs a permit, each issued for up to ten people for one hour. Blackheath and Hilly Fields are nearby alternatives with skyline views.
Between about 28 and 34 weeks. If you want Richmond Hill or the top of Greenwich Park, an earlier date in that window makes the climb easier, while a session at home can sit comfortably towards the end of it.
Yes. Kaushik comes to your home, and a bright window is all the set a bump portrait needs. Southwark is about 14.9 miles from Northwood and Lambeth about 14.7, and travel is quoted up front and set out in writing before you book.
Yes. Partners and older children are welcome and often make the warmest pictures of the set. Plan the child's part early, before boredom sets in, and keep a snack in the bag.
Yes. A maternity session at 28 to 34 weeks and a newborn session in the first couple of weeks can be planned together. See the South London newborn page for how the at-home newborn session works.
Maternity prices come by phone or WhatsApp on 07956 505383. They depend on the session and the prints or album you choose, with travel from Northwood shown in your written quote.
Maternity in South London
Plan your bump portraits for the right week
Send your due date and whether you picture Richmond Hill, Greenwich, a garden or your own home. We will suggest the best weeks and set out travel from Northwood in writing.
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