Photographers in Windsor

Windsor's look is Georgian and Victorian streets beneath a medieval skyline. The castle's walls and Round Tower are visible from much of the town, so they can sit in the background of a frame without you going anywhere near the gates.

The Long Walk is the classic composition: a straight avenue of trees with the castle at one end and the Copper Horse, a large equestrian statue of George III on Snow Hill, at the other. It suits proposals and couples at either end of the day, and its long, symmetrical lines flatter simple outfits. Snow Hill gives a raised view back along the avenue to the castle.

The Thames adds softness. Alexandra Gardens and the riverside promenade have lawns, swans and boats, and from Windsor Bridge you look back up to the castle walls. Over the bridge, Eton's riverside and High Street are calmer than Windsor.

Further into the Great Park, Virginia Water lake and the woodland around it give reflections and seasonal colour: rhododendrons and azaleas in late spring and gold leaves in autumn. Winter mornings sometimes bring mist over the park.

Windsor has two stations, both a few minutes' walk from the castle. Windsor & Eton Riverside has direct trains from London Waterloo, and Windsor & Eton Central is reached from London Paddington with a change at Slough. Heathrow is a short drive away, which makes Windsor practical for visitors flying in.

The town centre, the river, Eton and the start of the Long Walk are all walkable. Snow Hill is roughly two and a half miles down the Long Walk, so allow close to an hour each way on foot, or drive to one of the Great Park's car parks and walk in from there. Virginia Water is on the southern side of the park and easier to reach by car.

Windsor is busy all year and busiest on summer weekends and during royal occasions, when roads and parts of the town can close; check local news before you settle on a date. The Changing of the Guard draws crowds on scheduled mornings, when the guard marches through the town.

The Long Walk is quietest early in the morning and on weekday evenings, which also suits a proposal. Windsor Great Park is managed by the Crown Estate, and professional photography there may need permission; your photographer will confirm whether yours does.

Deer roam the Deer Park around Snow Hill. Stay well away from them, particularly in the autumn rut and in early summer when there are young. If rain looks likely, the riverside and the town's covered shopping arcade give limited shelter; most couples simply move the date.

Proposal and couple sessions both start from £250. If your proposal is at Snow Hill or Virginia Water, the time it takes to get between spots can mean adding extra time, from £100 per hour. Any permission fee for the Great Park, and parking, is quoted separately if it applies.