Winter Family Photography in Wimbledon Common | London Family Photographer
The winter family photo sessions have started early this year, and we’ve had some amazing winter light to enjoy taking family portraits in. My first winter family photoshoot this season has been a lovely family of three, with whom I arranged to meet in Wimbledon Common, one of their local London parks. They wanted natural, relaxed family portraits, outdoors, in one of their favourite parks.
We met on a crisp winter morning, wrapped up in layers. The weather was overcast, with a forecast of rain later that afternoon. However, with fast moving clouds, there was also a possibility of sunshine, perfect for outdoor family portraits.
One of The Best London Parks For Family Photography
Wimbledon Common has quickly become one of my favourite locations for family photography in London. It is vast, natural and wonderfully varied, ideal for families who want photos that feel relaxed and natural, rather than posed.
I first discovered Wimbledon Common years ago, but fell in love with it last year while photographing a family with their newborn baby and dog. During that particular photo session, I discovered some lovely little nooks on the common. Since then, I keep finding new spaces that work beautifully for family photo sessions: open woodland paths, soft grassy clearings, and gentle textures that let families be themselves.
For anyone looking for outdoor family photography in South West London, natural family photos and locations that look natural, feel calm and child-friendly, Wimbledon Common is always a wonderful choice.
Why Winter Is a Beautiful Time for Family Photos
Winter family photo sessions are often underestimated, but to me, winter is one of the lovelies times of year to photograph families in. The winter light is soft and directional, creating flattering tones and gentle contrast. Without the distractions of bright foliage, the focus naturally shifts to connection, movement, and emotion. The bright colours of winter woollies create a striking contrast against the soft, subdued tones of the winter landscape. Children can explore freely, parents can slow down, and the resulting images feel honest and timeless.
Winter photography sessions are perfect if you love:
Being outdoors
Misty mornings and crisp sunny days
Soft light and subdued tones
Neutral, earthy colour palettes
Layered outfits and natural textures
And yes, children almost always forget about the cold once they start exploring!
A Relaxed Family Photo Session Experience
This session was all about observing the family interact and capturing the connection, little smiles and genuine moments. No pressure or expectation to perform, no stiff posing, just gentle guidance and space to connect and explore.
We wandered, chatted, paused when the light felt right, and let moments happen naturally. These are the sessions where children feel safe to be themselves, parents relax into the experience, and the images tell a story that feels true to real life.
If you are curious about what a session with me feels like, you can read more about my approach to family photography here.
Planning Your Own Wimbledon Common Family Photo Session
If you are considering a family photoshoot in Wimbledon Common, winter is a beautiful and often quieter time to do it. Sessions work especially well in the morning or early afternoon when the light is at its softest. I am always happy to offer guidance, to choose the best meeting spot on the common and to plan a session that works around young children and your schedule. Please get in touch to start planning your session.
About Me
Hello! My name is Mina and I am a Surrey-based family photographer specialising in natural, emotive family photography. My work is gentle, relaxed, and focused on real connection rather than perfect poses. I photograph families across Wimbledon, South West London, Surrey and beyond, creating images that feel honest, timeless, and full of heart.
If you value warmth, simplicity, and storytelling in your family photos, you’ll feel right at home here.
Family Photography Gift Vouchers
A family photography gift voucher is a thoughtful and meaningful gift, especially for new parents, growing families, or grandparents.
Gift vouchers can be used for:
Outdoor family photo sessions
Pet photo sessions
Newborn photo sessions
Couple photo sessions
They are available as digital copies or printed vouchers, can be purchased year-round and are valid for one year from the date of purchase. Please contact me for further information or to discuss a custom gift certificate.
Ready to Book Your Family Photo Session?
If you are dreaming of natural family photos in Wimbledon Common, please get in touch, I would love to hear from you. Booking a family photo session is easy!
1 SAY HELLO!
Drop me a line at mina@minamilanovic-photography.com to enquire about a session or fill out a form on my contact page and tell me a little bit about what your requirements are. I will send you my availability and answer any questions you may have before you book your session. We can arrange either a weekday or a weekend session, whatever works best for you and your family.
2 SESSION DEPOSIT
A 30% booking deposit is required to reserve your date on my calendar. The remainder of the fee is payable before the agreed family photography session date.
3 SESSION LOCATION
We will discuss location choices. I am happy to meet you at your favourite location, or provide a list of locations in the Surrey and London area. I can also meet you at home for a home family session, or we can split our time between your home and an outside location.
Family Photo Shoot in Guildford
The setting for this family photo session was Riverside Park Nature Reserve in Guildford, a wetland area supporting diverse insect, bird and amphibian life. I recently discovered this beautiful nature reserve while servicing my car in the nearby Slyfield industrial estate and was surprised to find such a gem of a place squshed between the noisy A3, the community recycling centre and the industrial estate. Amazing how nature can thrive in the most unlikely places!
We started our photoshoot with a walk along the River Wey. The powerline which runs along the path provided a dramatic backdrop for a few of the initial shots before we reached the canal. All along the canal were lovely mature oak trees which served as the perfect frame for family portraits. The parents were amazing at enterntaining and engaging this charming and smiley one and a half year old. I love the playfulness that comes through in the photographs.
Half way through the photoshoot, everyone was getting a little tired so it was time to have a play in the sand and bring out favourite toys. Out came the coala and Mr Fox, and it was back to playing games and having fun. I find games really helpful while working with children. They instantly become interested and engaged which creates genuinely candid moments for great photographs. Whether it it]s hide and seek with younger children, building a den with preschoolers and playing ball with older kids, involving them (and parents) in an activity takes the attention away from the camera and puts children and adults in the present moment which is where the joy comes through. This little girl loved spotting insects, playing with hair clips which I’ve given her, waving at boats and touching different plants.
It is nice looking back at these photos when the grasses were lush and everything was so alive. My current family photo sessions are against beautiful autumnal backdrops, a stark contrast to the warm summer days. Nature provides us photographers with the best studio and I am so grateful to do my job outdoors, and experience the beauty of each season with my clients.
I am nearly fully booked for this year, but if you would like to arrange a family portrait session for you and your family for next year, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. You can contact me through the contact page on my website, or sending me an email at info@minamilanovic-photography.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
Family Photo Shoot with Dog in Surrey
This family received a Christmas dog photography gift voucher from their daughter. She thought the whole family would enjoy the experience of having their photos taken in company of their elderly dog, in their beautiful home in Surrey.
Family photo shoots with dogs are always fun! Dogs bring a different energy to the session, and I find that people tend to be more relaxed in front of the camera when dog is around. There is another being to think about, to instruct, pose and cuddle, diverting the attention away from thinking about how we look or feel in front of the camera.
When photographing dogs and families, I work to initially take a few group shots. Then, depending on the energy level of the dog I am photographing, I either take dog portrait shots, or dog action shots. Then I would move over to individual family member portraits with the dog, and finally focus on more spontanious and creative images. That way, I ensure I have a wide variety of photographs my clients can choose from.
I am based in Surrey, but will travel to your home or one of the stunning locations in Surrey and London for family photography or family and dog photo sessions.
To purchase a dog photography gift voucher as a birthday present, or a Christmas gift, please contact me to discuss your requirements. Alternatively, head over to my Gift Vouchers page where you purchase a one hour or two hour pet photography gift certificate directly from my website.
Family Photo Shoot in Kingston upon Thames
Indoor Family Photography in Kingston-upon-Thames
I went back to my old neighbourhood in West London for a very special family photo session with returning clients. It was a joy to photograph this sweet family who I’ve known since 2014 when I did a dog photoshoot in Richmond park for them. Since then their family has grown considerably and this time I was invited to capture a few family moments as a family of four in their beautiful home in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Indoor Family Photography
Most of my family photo shoots take place outdoors, however on this occasion we decided to stay indoors. I always feel more challenged when photographing inside, and feel like I need to work harder at finding the right angles and light. However indoor spaces provide such fantastic opportunity for creative family photography, where I use anything from house plants to furniture to create more interesting frames for my clients.
Pets in Family Photos
I often get told that I’ve chosen really hard photography subjects - children and pets! I love photographing both! They are fun, engaging and spontanious. My experience has thought me that if I or the parents try to impose too much control over what is going on, the kids (and pets!) will be fairly uninterested in engaging with me. Initiate a game, or leave them to their own devices and suddenly they forget who is there and an opportunity for genuine family photography is created.
Book a Family Photography Session
If you would like to book a family photo shoot, please get in touch. I also offer separate one hour and two hour dog photography sessions, as well as pet photography gift vouchers. If you would like to book/purchase a voucher, please contact me or visit my store.
Children photography in the Surrey Hills
I am really behind on my blog posts. There seems to be a million other things to do at the moment!
This children photography session happened a few months ago, at the beginning of winter. Nothing beats winter light on a beautiful sunny day! The sun is low and can produce some spectacular effects in the middle of the day. We set out on a family walk, and I actually left my camera at home as it was overcast at the time. My husband presuaded me to go back and get it and I cannot thank him enough! As we reached the Hills, the clouds parted and we were treated to magic! It was one amazing scene after another, perfect for family photography and children’s portraits.
As Surrey family photographer, I was gutted that I didn’t have a family photoshoot on that day, but I more than made up for it with photos of my own family and the beautiful landscape in front of me.
I hope you enjoy viewing these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. On this first day of spring and on one year anniversary since the first lockdown, let’s look back and be greatful for all the nice experiences we had and hope for some more in the near future.
I will be returning to photographing children and families next week. If you would like to book a photoshoot with me, please get in touch.
