Photographers in New Forest

The Forest has two main moods. The open heath is wide and low, with big skies, gorse, scattered pines and ponies grazing. Gorse is yellow in spring, and the heather flowers purple from around August into September. Sunrise and sunset light rakes across the heath beautifully, and there are few buildings to get in the way.

The woodland is intimate and green. Ancient oak and beech woods give dappled light through the summer and deep colour from October into November. Along the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, the Victorian plantings include very tall redwoods and firs, and rhododendrons and azaleas flower in late spring. Bolderwood, nearby, has a deer viewing platform and more tall trees.

Water adds reflections. Hatchet Pond, near Beaulieu, is a large pond on open heath where ponies often come to drink. The Beaulieu River and Buckler's Hard, an eighteenth-century shipbuilding village on the estate, give a historic riverside setting. On the coast, Lepe looks across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.

Misty autumn mornings are common and very atmospheric. The villages have thatched cottages and village greens, where ponies sometimes wander past.

Brockenhurst station has direct trains from London Waterloo in around an hour and a half, and Ashurst (New Forest) and Sway stations serve other edges of the Forest. Southampton is the nearest city.

The Forest's settings are spread out, so most sessions need a car. Many roads are unfenced, animals wander across them, and a 40mph limit applies across much of the Forest, so allow more time than the map suggests, especially at dusk. A seasonal open-top tour bus runs in summer; check current timetables.

Forestry England car parks give access to most heath and woodland walks. Winchester and Southampton are close by, and Bournemouth lies on the western edge.

The animals come first. Do not feed, touch or approach the ponies, donkeys or cattle, even for a photo. Mares with foals in spring and summer can be protective. Your photographer will keep a safe distance and use a longer lens.

In spring and early summer, keep to paths on the heath to avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds. Ticks live in the bracken and long grass, so check yourself after a session. Woodland paths are muddy after rain, and school holidays and autumn weekends are busy at Rhinefield and in the villages.

Much of the Forest is Crown land managed by Forestry England, and commercial or professional photography may need permission; private estates such as Beaulieu have their own rules. Your photographer will confirm what applies. Woodland gives some shelter in light rain, and the soft light suits it.

Family sessions start from £200, couple sessions from £250 and elopement photography from £600. Travel between spots adds time in the Forest, so a longer session may suit if you want both woodland and heath; extra time is from £100 per hour. Travel from outside the photographer's included area, parking and any permission fee are quoted separately.