Photographers in Eastbourne

Eastbourne's seafront is long, flat and uncluttered, with white and cream hotels behind a shingle beach and the pier roughly halfway along. The town faces south-east, so early mornings bring the sun up over the sea, which is unusual on this coast and lovely for a quiet sunrise session. In the evening the light falls warmly on the hotel fronts.

The Carpet Gardens, near the pier, are laid out in bold patterns of bedding plants through spring and summer. The bandstand, with its blue domed roof, and the grassy slopes around the Wish Tower, a Martello tower from the Napoleonic era, give simple, colourful backdrops for families.

At the western end, Holywell's sheltered gardens and beach huts sit beneath the first chalk slopes. Above, the downs are open chalk grassland, with wildflowers in summer and wide views. From the cliff top at Beachy Head you look down on the lighthouse far below, and to the west Belle Tout, the old lighthouse, stands alone on the headland.

Spring and early summer are good for the gardens, while autumn and winter give low light and an empty promenade.

Direct trains run from London Victoria to Eastbourne via Gatwick Airport, taking around an hour and a half, and coastal services connect with Brighton. The station is about ten minutes' walk from the seafront.

The promenade is flat and easy with pushchairs and wheelchairs. Beachy Head is roughly three miles west of the pier. You can walk up from the western end of the promenade on the South Downs Way, which is a steep climb, take a seasonal bus to the cliff top (check current timetables), or drive to one of the cliff-top car parks.

The Seven Sisters are a short drive further west.

Safety comes first at Beachy Head. The cliffs are unfenced and erode constantly, and edges can be undercut, so stay well back from the edge whatever the photo. Your photographer will keep the whole session at a safe distance.

The cliff top is exposed: it is often windy, sometimes foggy, and noticeably cooler than the town, so bring a layer and sturdy shoes for the walk. The seafront is quiet in winter and on weekday mornings. Events such as the summer air show, usually in August, and the grass-court tennis tournament in June bring crowds.

For a personal session, the public promenade needs no special arrangements; the pier, hotels and private venues have their own rules, and your photographer will confirm what applies.

Family sessions start from £200 and couple sessions from £250. Combining the seafront with Beachy Head means a short drive, so a longer session may suit; extra time is from £100 per hour. Travel from outside the photographer's included area and cliff-top parking are quoted separately.