Richmond Park - Wilderness In The Heart Of London
Richmond park is located in South London and is very easy to get to by car. There are many car parks dotted around the park and all are free to use. You can also get there by train and bus, although it can be more hassle especially for sunrise!
One point to remember is that the gates for vehicles are closed overnight. Usually the gates open during or just after sunrise so if you want to be in position for when the sun comes up, you will need to leave your car outside and walk in. The gates for walking / cycling are open all hours apart from culling season. You gotta be mindful about the gate closing times. It is not uncommon for people’s cars getting locked in overnight. The best place for that is Roehampton Gate, has plenty of free parking in the roads nearby. You can get the latest times from Richmond Park website or a quick Google search.
Deer In Richmond Park
One of the main things that Richmond Park is known for is for is the deer. A lot of tourists that come to the park come to find and see the deer. If you know where / when to go and how to approach them, you can walk away with some incredible images and experience of seeing these creatures without spending way more time trying to track them down in the wild.
Generally speaking any time and any location could have deer roaming around. However there are certain places and times where your chances of seeing them is much higher. First of all the best season to see them is from September to November. Rutting season is right in the middle of that and weather conditions are prime for the best images. With regards to time of day, morning is a great time to spot them but to be honest any time during the day you can find them. Personally I prefer the morning for photography.
As for locations, the fields opposite Roehampton Gate Cafe, has a fantastic hit rate for having deer. I would say 7/10 of visits to that part of the park resulted in spotting them. The other place worth going to is along the access road leading to Pen Ponds Car Park. Not as frequent as above, but still a great chance. Almost all the images below are from these two spots. Of course there are many other locations and as soon as I find them, I will update this blog.
Use common sense when it comes to approaching them. It’s easy to forget they are still wild animals and although 99% of time they will run away from you, at certain times the Stag’s can charge. This is fortunately very rare but does happen. Use the longest lens you have, avoid bright clothing and always see how they react to your presence, if they are relaxed, you’re ok. If they seem agitated, stand up or move erratically, I would suggest backing up a little.
Sunrise In Richmond Park
Personally I much prefer sunrise in Richmond Park over any other time with regards to photography. I have been there to shoot during all times and consistently found the best and longest lasting good light at sunrise. In the winter it is fairly easy….. in the summer, it means VERY early starts.
There are many picturesque parts of the park especially during sunrise, however I found that the most consistently good images were captures in certain locations and at certain times.
During autumn & winter, I would head to Pen Ponds car park. The sun would rise along that road and you have plenty of opportunities for excellent shots as you walk from Pen Ponds down to the end of the access road. Later on - approx an hour or two after sunrise, you can head into the woodland just behind the car park especially if it is a misty morning. In Spring / Summer, I would start in Roehampton Gate car park and shoot around the small stream and the open fields and woodland in that entire area.
I am constantly searching out for new locations so expect this section to be updated and populated over time.
