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Couple session · Westminster
Big Ben, the phone box and a red bus
London does this a few times each winter: a cold, perfectly clear morning. We used it. The phone box with Big Ben behind, a walk along the bridge with a red bus passing, the arch under the bridge for the quiet frames, and a few portraits in the low sun. This is the route we describe in full on our Big Ben photoshoot page.
If your dates are in winter, ask for a morning slot. The light is low and soft all day, and the famous spots are yours until ten.
The route in the sun
We began at the red phone box near Parliament Square, with Big Ben at the end of the street and the low sun lighting the tower from the side. Then onto Westminster Bridge: a walk with a red bus passing, a few portraits of each of you against the railings, and the Houses of Parliament bright against a blue sky.
Low winter sun is lovely but strong, so we moved under the bridge for the quieter frames: the stone arch cuts the glare and still shows Big Ben at the far end. The river wall by the bridge gave us the last photos, with the Thames and Parliament across the water.
Why a clear winter morning is the best Big Ben light
In summer the sun is high by mid-morning and throws hard shadows under the eyes. In January it barely clears the rooftops all day, so faces are lit from the side, skin looks warm and the stone of Parliament glows. It is the closest London gets to golden hour at ten in the morning.
It is also quiet. Westminster Bridge on a winter weekday morning has a fraction of the summer crowds, which makes walking shots and wide frames much easier.
Booking a Big Ben photoshoot
If Big Ben is the one photo you want, a winter or early-spring morning is the time to book, and we plan the route around where the sun will be on your date. See the best time of day for photos in London, where to take photos in London, and couple photoshoots in London for how it all works.
Want a session like this one?
Tell us when you’re in London. Our team usually replies within 12 hours, and then we plan the route, the start time and the light with you. Sessions start at £150. Easy cancellation, easy refund.
