Engagement Photographer Brighton – A Neighbourhood Walk with Alice & Ed
One of my favourite ways to photograph an engagement session is to meet couples exactly where they are – quite literally. For Alice and Ed, that meant heading to Queen’s Park, their neighbourhood, on a day off, with no agenda beyond going for a walk and seeing what caught our eye.
This is something I suggest often as an engagement photographer in Brighton. When you remove the pressure to perform and instead build the shoot around familiar streets, local parks and places you already love, everything softens. The photos stop feeling like a photoshoot and start feeling like you.
Alice and Ed live close to Queen’s Park, which is one of Brighton’s quieter green spaces and a bit of a hidden gem. It has its own enclosed bird sanctuary – an unlikely but brilliant mix of elegant residents like swans, herons and geese, sharing space with Brighton’s more… municipal birds. Pigeons and seagulls included. Very Brighton.
When Alice and Ed booked their session, they told me something I hear all the time: “We’re not good at posing.”
They also said that most of their photos together were either phone selfies or pictures they’d taken of each other. Which is exactly why engagement sessions are so useful.
There’s no posing bootcamp here. We didn’t practise smiles or choreograph anything. We walked, chatted, stopped when we saw something interesting – a pastel house, a quiet street, a pocket of good light, a friendly neighbourhood cat – and let things unfold naturally.
About halfway through, Alice laughed and said, “Oh, this feels like we’re making our album cover.”
Which felt especially fitting given my background shooting for the music industry, and the fact that Alice works at Spotify. When couples stop thinking about the camera and start thinking about how something feels, that’s where the magic happens.
By the end of the session, they were moving with total ease. Proof, once again, that you don’t need to know how to pose – you just need to feel comfortable.
Alice + Ed
said…
We couldn’t believe how easy it felt!
At one point we felt like we were shooting for our album cover
Brighton Engagement Photo Locations:
If you’re thinking about booking an engagement photographer in Brighton, it’s worth knowing that the city has so much more to offer than the main beach and the pier. Some of my favourite sessions happen well away from the busiest spots.
Here are a few locations I personally love, depending on your vibe:
1. Queen’s Park
Perfect for a neighbourhood feel with greenery, character and space to breathe. The bird sanctuary, quiet paths and surrounding streets give loads of variety without needing to travel far and the park coffee shop / bakery is excellent.
2. Saltdean Beach
Quieter than central Brighton and has its own set of candy-coloured beach huts sitting prettily beneath a white cliff. It feels open, calm and a bit nostalgic – great if you like the idea of the coast without the crowds. See a Saltdean Beach Engagement Shoot.
3. North Laine
Full of independent shops, street art and texture. The Saturday street market adds energy, while tucked-away streets give us quieter pockets for photos. Snoopers Paradise is always a winner if you want something playful. See a North Laine Engagement Shoot.
4. Kemptown
From the pink flea market to grand old buildings and slightly faded glamour, Kemptown has bags of character and works beautifully for couples who want something a little different. See a Kemptown Elopement.
5. Royal Pavilion Gardens
An iconic Brighton backdrop, but calmer than you might expect if timed well. Everything planted here is in keeping with the original design, and the mix of architecture and greenery is hard to beat.
6. Hove – Ginger Pig to the Beach
Starting with brunch at The Ginger Pig and heading down to the beach is a lovely, relaxed option. Hove seafront is much quieter than central Brighton and feels more local. See an Engagement Shoot here.
7. North Laine Terraces
Pastel houses, interesting doorways and brilliant colour. These streets are ideal if you love design, architecture and a more editorial feel to your photos. See an Engagement Shoot here.
8. Patcham Windmill
Just on the outskirts of Brighton, this windmill is a private residence but you can get pretty close in the surrounding open spaces. Be prepared, it is windy – of course but it is also quintessentially English and very romantic. See an Engagement Shoot here.
9. The West Pier
Of course, our old relic of a pier is a very unique backdrop for some Brighton Engagement Photos. My favourite thing to do is meet my couple for a glass of wine first at The Artists Residence hotel and then stroll down to the beach. Even better if it’s winter, like this Engagement Shoot as then the beach is pretty quiet.
