Yana Skakun
St Ives & the Great Ouse Valley
Family Photographer
St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Riverside meadow sessions in one of Cambridgeshire's most beautiful and photogenic market towns.
Family Sessions in St Ives Cambs
One of Cambridgeshire's Most Beautiful Locations
St Ives, Cambridgeshire sits on a wide bend of the Great Ouse with medieval streets, water meadows, and one of England's oldest surviving bridge chapels. It's genuinely beautiful — and because it's less well known than Cambridge itself, you won't be competing with tourist crowds.
Family sessions here can include the riverside atmosphere of the old bridge, the wide open meadowland of Hemingford, or the quieter mill settings nearby. I always recommend we meet and walk the location together before settling the shoot, so you can feel at ease and the children get to explore first.
Where We Shoot
St Ives & Ouse Valley Locations
St Ives Riverside Meadows
The meadows along the Great Ouse near St Ives offer some of Cambridgeshire's most beautiful natural settings — open skies, wildflowers, and stunning reflections in slow summer water.
The Old Bridge Area
St Ives's historic chapel bridge and the riverside quay give a uniquely English atmosphere — cobblestones, willow-hung banks, and the scale of the river make for beautiful backdrops.
Hemingford Meadows
Just minutes from St Ives, Hemingford Meadows is a National Trust site adjacent to Hemingford Grey — one of the loveliest and least-visited meadow locations in Cambridgeshire.
Houghton Mill
A working watermill by the Great Ouse at Houghton, within easy reach of St Ives — the millpond, weir, and surrounding fields offer outstanding variety in a single location.
Meadow Lane & Watersports
The south bank near Meadow Lane gives open field settings with the river visible behind — great for running toddlers, picnic-style sessions, and large groups.
Needingworth & The Ouse Valley
The villages and nature reserves of the Ouse Valley west of St Ives — including RSPB Ouse Fen — offer dramatic overwintering bird flocks and expansive sky shots in spring and autumn.
Investment
Family Session Packages
Essential Session
£195
1 hour · 30+ images
- One riverside or meadow location
- Up to 6 family members
- 30+ fully edited images
- Online gallery (14 days)
- Print-ready downloads
Most Popular
Classic Session
£295
90 minutes · 50+ images
- Up to 2 locations near St Ives
- Up to 8 family members
- 50+ fully edited images
- Online gallery (30 days)
- Print-ready & social files
Extended Session
£445
2.5 hours · 80+ images
- Full multi-location session
- Multiple generations welcome
- 80+ fully edited images
- Online gallery (60 days)
- Complimentary fine-art print
FAQs
Why is St Ives such a good location for family photography?+
St Ives is genuinely one of the most photogenic towns in Cambridgeshire — the oldest medieval bridge in the country with its chapel, the wide slow river, and the surrounding meadowland give real variety within a short distance. It's also small and unhurried, which children respond well to.
Can we include the medieval bridge chapel in the session?+
Yes — the bridge and wharf area work beautifully as a backdrop for walks, and the reflections in the river are especially lovely in morning and evening light.
What time of year works best for St Ives sessions?+
Spring is beautiful for wildflowers and fresh green along the Ouse. Summer evenings give golden hour light over the meadows. Autumn in the meadows and mills is stunning. Winter sessions with frost on the towpath have their own magic.
Is Hemingford Meadows the same as Houghton?+
No — Hemingford Meadows is a National Trust meadow site adjacent to Hemingford Grey village, while Houghton Mill is a separate National Trust watermill a mile or two further along the river. Both are accessible from St Ives and complement each other well within a longer session.
How far is St Ives from Cambridge?+
About 15–16 miles northwest of Cambridge, easily accessible via the A14 or busway. For families based in St Ives, Huntingdon, or the Ouse Valley, it's a natural first-choice location.
Get in Touch
Book a Family Session Near St Ives
Let me know your preferred location, family size, and time of year — I'll come back with availability.