Borough Market Family Photoshoot | Tower Bridge Beach  

Starting on a Thames Beach

This Borough Market family photoshoot started somewhere you might not expect, on a beach. It was the one chilly morning in the middle of a heatwave. So naturally, I took a lovely family down to the river.

Here is how I put it on Instagram afterwards:

“When your shoot starts with an adventure to the beach on the one chilly morning during a heatwave, you know your photographer is a bit mad. Even more so when the beach is actually just the Thames at low tide. It took us all a while to warm up, but in the end it was glorious. What a beautiful session this was, Thames, Borough Market, and a whole bunch of memories made.”

I stand by every word, including the bit about being mad.

Yes, London has a beach

Most people walk past Tower Bridge without realising there is a beach underneath it. The Thames is tidal right through central London. Twice a day, the water drops by several metres, leaving pebbles, old brick and the odd clay pipe. It is a strange and lovely spot. You also get the whole bridge above you, without a single tourist in the way.

Timing is everything, though. I plan these sessions around the tide tables, and I aim for the hour either side of low tide. After that, the river comes back faster than you would think. Good shoes help too, because the stones are slippery and the mud has opinions.

A chilly start at low tide

We met on a grey, cool morning. The girls were wrapped in hoodies, and dad was quietly wondering why he had agreed to this. That is completely fine. Nobody warms up in the first ten minutes, least of all on a river beach.

So we didn’t rush it. The little one spent a while tucked into dad’s shoulder, watching everything. Then her big sister found a good stone. Before long, there was chasing, lifting and a lot of giggling. Once dad swung the toddler up towards the sky, she forgot all about the cold.

By the time we climbed back up to the riverside, everyone had thawed. Mum and her eldest shared a quiet hug beneath the bridge. Meanwhile, the girls took turns on dad’s shoulders. Those are the frames I love most, the ones where nobody is looking at me.

Shad Thames and a red bus ride

Next, we wandered along Shad Thames. This cobbled street sits just east of Tower Bridge, lined with old tea and spice warehouses. The iron walkways overhead once carried goods between buildings. Now they make a brilliant backdrop for a family walking hand in hand.

Then came the part the girls had been waiting for. We hopped on a red double decker and raced for the front seats upstairs. If you are planning a London family photoshoot with small children, build in a bus ride. It is a break, a treat and a photo opportunity, all in one.

Our Borough Market family photoshoot, part two

In Borough, the sun finally showed up. The girls had changed into matching pink and blue sets, which felt very much like the second act. Borough Market has roots going back around a thousand years. It also has fairy lights, iron pillars and narrow lanes, which is really why I am there.

The trick is to go early, before the lunchtime crowds arrive. We had the quiet walkways almost to ourselves. So the girls ran, mum danced with her eldest, and everyone laughed under the famous market sign.

Yellow walls and old coffee warehouses

The streets around the market are full of colour. We found a bright yellow wall, and the sisters sat down together. Within seconds, they were whispering secrets and pulling monster faces. Mostly, I just stayed out of the way.

Finally, we finished outside an old coffee warehouse with peeling paint and a faded sign. Mum and dad swung the girls high in the air, again and again. After that, one last run under the railway arches ended with the biggest grin of the day.

Planning your own Borough Market family photoshoot

If a morning on a river beach sounds like your kind of chaos, here are a few tips.

• Check the tide times with me before we pick a date.
• Wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy.
• Bring a spare layer, even in July.
• Pack a second outfit if you fancy a change halfway through.
• Leave room for a snack stop, because Borough Market makes that very easy.

Ready for your own London adventure?

I have spent almost fifteen years exploring London with families, and sessions like this are still my favourite. You can see more of my family photography sessions in London on the main family page. Fancy a Borough Market family photoshoot with a beach start? Get in touch and we will check the tides together.