City · Midlands
Photographers in Nottingham
Nottingham pairs a grand civic square and the red-brick warehouses of the Lace Market with Wollaton Hall, an Elizabethan mansion in a deer park on the city's western edge.
For a photoshoot in Nottingham, most people choose between two very different settings. In the city centre, the domed Council House looks over Old Market Square and the Victorian warehouses of the Lace Market line narrow streets. A few miles west, Wollaton Hall is an Elizabethan mansion in a walled deer park. You can do both in one session if you allow time to travel between them.
The centre suits couples, personal branding and anyone who likes architecture and street texture. Wollaton suits families, engagement shoots and anyone who wants open parkland, big trees and a house that looks like a film set, which it has been: it stood in for Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises. With two universities, Nottingham is also a busy city for graduation portraits.
Tell us what you have in mind through our request form. We will check which photographers we work with can cover your date in Nottingham and come back with availability and a personalised quote. The enquiry is free and there is no obligation.
Quick answer
Snapshire is a photography matching service that helps you book photography for proposals, couples, families, weddings, portraits, events and businesses in Nottingham with an independent professional photographer. Photography starts from £150; the final price depends on the photographer, date, location, duration and what you need. Tell us what you need, where and when; we reply with availability and a written quote. Enquiring is free, and nothing is booked until you accept the quote.
- Place
- Nottingham, Midlands
- Popular here
- Families, Graduations, Couples
- Starting price
- From £150
- How to book
- Free enquiry form
Photographing Nottingham
The city centre
Old Market Square is broad and open, so there is room to step back and frame the Council House's dome and portico, with its pair of stone lions at the steps. The paving reflects plenty of light, which keeps faces bright on overcast days but can mean hard shadows at midday in summer.
A few minutes east, the Lace Market is a conservation area of tall red-brick Victorian warehouses built for the lace trade, with ornate doorways, iron railings and the medieval St Mary's Church at its centre. The streets are narrow, so light arrives from above and bounces off the brick: good for moody, textured portraits and branding work.
Wollaton Hall and deer park
Wollaton Hall was built in the 1580s for Sir Francis Willoughby to designs by Robert Smythson, and its towers and carved stone read clearly from across the park. Red and fallow deer roam the grounds. Autumn, when the trees turn and the stags are rutting, is especially photogenic, though the deer are wild and need plenty of space. The lake and gardens give gentler settings for families.
Seasons
Spring and autumn give the softest light at Wollaton. In winter, Old Market Square usually hosts a seasonal market and lights, and summer brings graduation season to both universities.
Where to take photos in Nottingham
Old Market Square and the Council House
A wide civic square in front of the domed Council House and its stone lions. Suits confident city portraits and couple sessions.
- Best time:
- Early morning, before the square fills
- Good to know:
- The square often hosts markets and events that fill the space; check the city's events calendar before choosing a date.
Lace Market
Tall red-brick warehouses, ornate doorways and St Mary's Church in a compact historic quarter. Good for textured portraits and personal branding.
- Best time:
- Sunday mornings
- Good to know:
- The streets are public, but some courtyards and buildings are private. Your photographer will keep to public areas or arrange permission.
Wollaton Hall and deer park
An Elizabethan mansion in open parkland with deer, a lake and mature trees. Suits families, engagement shoots and relaxed couple sessions.
- Best time:
- Early morning or late afternoon, especially in October and November
- Good to know:
- The park is run by Nottingham City Council and parking is paid; check current charges with the council. Commercial photography, and anything inside the hall, may need permission. Never approach or feed the deer.
Nottingham Castle
A 17th-century ducal mansion on Castle Rock, on the site of the medieval castle, with views over the city.
- Good to know:
- The castle is a ticketed attraction. Check current opening, and whether a professional session needs permission, before planning.
Victoria Embankment
A tree-lined promenade along the River Trent with open lawns, the war memorial and memorial gardens. Relaxed and flat for family sessions.
- Best time:
- Golden hour in spring and summer
University Park
The University of Nottingham's campus, with the Trent Building's clock tower above Highfields lake. A natural choice for graduation portraits.
- Best time:
- Graduation weeks, early in the day
- Good to know:
- A working campus. Graduation days are very busy, and a professional shoot at other times may need the university's permission.
Photography in Nottingham
Families
From £200
Family portraits and candid moments, outdoors or at a suitable indoor location.
Graduations
From £150
Graduation portraits for individuals or groups, on the day or around it.
Couples
From £250
A relaxed outdoor session for two, in a city street, a park or somewhere you are visiting.
Engagements
From £300
A 60–90 minute couple session that tells the story of your engagement.
Personal branding
From £300
Business portraits and brand-storytelling images for your website, social media and press.
Portraits
From £200
Individual portraits in a lifestyle, travel or editorial style.
Weddings
From £1,200
Shorter wedding-day coverage, from the ceremony through portraits and the start of the celebration.
Getting there and around
Nottingham station has direct East Midlands Railway trains from London St Pancras, plus connections from Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds. Old Market Square and the Lace Market are a short walk north of the station. The tram runs from the station through the centre and out past the University of Nottingham.
Wollaton Hall is roughly three miles west of the centre; buses run from the city, or a taxi is straightforward outside rush hour. If you are driving, the car park at Wollaton is the easiest option but fills on sunny weekends and during events in the park. In the centre, parking is mostly in multi-storey car parks around the shopping area; Old Market Square itself is pedestrianised.
Planning your shoot
Plan Wollaton for a weekday or an early weekend start: on warm weekends the park and car park fill quickly, and summer concerts and events close parts of the grounds. The deer rut runs roughly from late September into November, when stags can be unpredictable, so your photographer will keep a long distance.
In the centre, Old Market Square hosts events and markets through the year, which can take over the space. The Lace Market is quieter, especially on Sunday mornings.
For rain, the Exchange Arcade inside the Council House and the doorways of the Lace Market give shelter close to the main spots. Graduation weeks are busy on both campuses, so enquire early if you want a session on the day itself.
Prices and availability
Most Nottingham sessions are quoted from our standard starting prices, for example a family photoshoot from £200 or graduation photography from £150. Combining the centre and Wollaton in one session adds travel time between them, which may be quoted as extra time from £100 per hour. Parking and any permission fees are quoted separately.
- Family PhotoshootFrom £200
- Graduation PhotographyFrom £150
- Couple PhotoshootFrom £250
- Engagement PhotographyFrom £300
- Personal Branding PhotographyFrom £300
- Solo Portrait PhotoshootFrom £200
Photographer availability. Snapshire works with independent photographers, and coverage varies by area and by date. When you enquire about Nottingham, we check who is available and tell you plainly if we can’t cover it — before you commit to anything.
Prices are indicative starting prices and may vary depending on the photographer, date, location, duration, deliverables, travel, and project requirements. Your final quotation will be confirmed before booking.
Photography in Nottingham: questions
Can we have a family photoshoot at Wollaton Hall?
Yes, the park's lawns, lake and the hall's façade suit family sessions well. The park is council-run, and your photographer will confirm whether a professional session needs permission. Keep children well away from the deer.
Is Nottingham good for graduation photos?
Yes. The University of Nottingham's University Park has the Trent Building and Highfields lake, and Nottingham Trent University's city campus has its own Victorian buildings. Graduation photography starts from £150.
Can we shoot in the city centre and at Wollaton on the same day?
Yes, with planning. The two are a few miles apart, so allow time for the journey between them; your quote will reflect the extra time.
Where can we go in Nottingham if it rains?
The Exchange Arcade in the Council House and the deep doorways of the Lace Market give shelter in the centre. Our rainy-day photography guide has more ideas.
Nearby and similar places
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