Photographers in Bristol

The Avon Gorge is Bristol's big landscape. From the Clifton side, the bridge spans a limestone gorge with the woodland of Leigh Woods on the far bank; from the riverside below, it looks enormous. Evening sun from the west falls on the Clifton side, and the bridge is lit at night, which makes for striking blue-hour portraits.

The Harbourside is about reflections and colour: the pastel terraces of Cliftonwood and Hotwells stepping up the hill above the water, the old cranes outside M Shed, the SS Great Britain in its dry dock and small boats along Wapping Wharf. On a still morning the water is calm enough for clean reflections.

Street art is part of the city's identity. Stokes Croft and North Street in Bedminster have large murals that change regularly, so no two sessions look quite the same, and your photographer will look at what is up shortly before your shoot. Murals and pastel houses both look good in flat, overcast light.

In August the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at Ashton Court usually fills the sky with hot-air balloons at dawn and dusk, weather permitting, and autumn turns Leigh Woods and the gorge gold and copper.

Bristol Temple Meads has direct trains from London Paddington, Birmingham, Cardiff and the South West, and Bristol Parkway serves the north of the city. From Temple Meads it is roughly a 20-minute walk to the Harbourside, or you can take the harbour ferry, which is a useful and photogenic way to move between spots.

Clifton is a steep climb from the harbour, so most sessions either start at the top and walk down or use a taxi between the two. Driving in the centre is slow, parking is limited, and Bristol's Clean Air Zone charges some vehicles; check the council's website before you drive.

Bristol works all year. Spring and summer bring long evenings on the Harbourside; autumn colours Leigh Woods and the gorge. Weekends are busy along the waterfront, and big events — the Harbour Festival in summer and the Balloon Fiesta in August — bring crowds and road closures, so check dates if you would rather avoid them, or want to include them.

If it rains, murals and pastel terraces still look good in flat light, and your photographer can plan a shorter route between cafés and covered spots. The gorge edges and viewpoints are exposed, so keep them for calmer days. Leigh Woods is National Trust land and the bridge has its own rules, so professional photography may need permission.

Solo portrait sessions start from £200, couple photoshoots from £250 and personal branding from £300. Bristol's spots are close together, so most sessions need nothing more than a short taxi between areas. Parking, any permission costs and travel from outside your photographer's included area are quoted separately, and big-event weekends can mean less availability.