Cornwall offers something rare. Space to breathe, room to move, and landscapes that invite families to simply be. For us at Folkship, location is never just a backdrop. It shapes the pace of a session, the way children explore, and how moments naturally unfold.
When choosing family photography locations in Cornwall, we are drawn to places that feel open, grounded, and unhurried. Beaches where families can wander freely, woodland paths that invite curiosity, and open land where time seems to stretch a little wider.
Below are some of our favourite locations for family photoshoots in Cornwall. Places we return to season after season, chosen not just for how they look, but for how they feel.
Beaches around Falmouth, Penryn and the Helford for family photography
The coastline between Falmouth, Penryn and the Helford offers a varied mix of beaches, river edges and sheltered coves, each lending itself to a different kind of family photoshoot. These are places shaped by tide and season, familiar to local families and quietly welcoming all year round.
Helford Passage, Durgan and Grebe Beach
The Helford River is one of our most loved areas for relaxed family photoshoots. Helford Passage and nearby Durgan and Grebe beaches feel sheltered and calm, with still water and soft, reflective light.
These beaches suit families who enjoy wandering together. Paddling at the edge of the water, exploring the shoreline, or watching boats drift past. The woodland paths leading down to the river naturally slow the pace, creating space for closeness and gentle connection.
Gyllyngvase and Swanpool
Gyllyngvase and Swanpool are well known summer beaches, but outside the busier months they take on a very different rhythm. In autumn and winter they become part of everyday life, places for walking, paddling and being by the sea.
The light is softer, the shoreline calmer, and families often find space to move freely without distraction. These beaches work beautifully for family photoshoots that feel relaxed and familiar rather than staged.
Castle Beach, Flushing Quay and Mylor Harbour
Castle Beach feels quietly woven into daily life in Falmouth. Along with Flushing and Mylor, it has a steady, year round rhythm shaped by tide, light and working harbours.
Shell hunting, rock pooling, watching boats pass. These places invite slower moments and gentle curiosity, making them well suited to families who enjoy time unfolding without rush.
Maenporth Beach
Maenporth offers a different sense of space. At low tide, the beach opens wide into sand and sky, giving families room to spread out and come back together naturally.
This openness suits families who enjoy movement and play, creating photographs that feel lively, expansive and full of energy.
How we choose locations for family photoshoots in Cornwall
When choosing locations for family photography in Cornwall, we think beyond how a place looks. We consider how it will feel on the day, and how the landscape supports family life in that moment.
At the coast, we pay close attention to tides, weather and light. Sheltered beaches work well on breezier days, while wider shores at low tide offer space to move and explore. The elements are part of the experience, and we choose locations that work with them rather than against them.
In woodland settings, we often seek shelter, dappled light and a slower pace. Woodland with a stream almost always invites natural play. Children splash, balance and end up with wet feet. These moments unfold without instruction, guided by curiosity rather than direction.
Every family responds differently to a place. The same beach or woodland will invite something new each time. Quieter moments for some, bursts of movement for others. No two Folkship photoshoots ever look the same, even in the same location. Where there is nature, children will play.
Woodlands and streams for family photography in Cornwall
Cornwall’s woodlands offer a sense of enclosure and calm. Sheltered and immersive, they encourage exploration and unhurried connection, making them ideal for family photoshoots.
Budock Woods
Budock Woods feels close and familiar, with winding paths and seasonal changes that create a timeless backdrop for family photography. The stream winding through the valley has seen many soggy pairs of socks, and the light dances and sparkles on its surface as it moves through the trees.
Devichoys Woods and Constantine Woods
These woods invite gentle adventure. Stepping over roots, following winding paths, pausing to look and listen. The filtered light here creates calm, layered images that feel deeply connected to place. The top of Devichoys Woods always offers a breathtaking view out towards the viaduct.
Tehidy Woods
Tehidy offers scale without exposure, with space to roam and pockets of stillness that suit families who enjoy longer walks and slower moments together. Magic lies beneath the surface of this ancient woodland, felt in every step.
Cardinham Woods
The expansive Cardinham Woods naturally invites play. Children balance, splash and explore while parents settle into an easy rhythm alongside them on the woodland tracks. We find this an excellent choice for families who need easier access for buggies or additional access needs.
Coastal paths and moorland for family photography
Beyond beaches and woodland, Cornwall opens out into wide landscapes of coastal paths, open hills and moorland. These are places where the land feels ancient and quietly powerful.
The South West Coast Path from Poldhu to Dollar Cove
This stretch of path moves gently through open grassland with long views. It suits families who enjoy walking together, stopping often, and letting the landscape guide the pace. The chapel at Church Cove often draws the curious, and it is easy to imagine the pilgrims of the past who found sanctuary here from the rugged wilds of the Lizard.
Godolphin Hill and Tregonning Hill
Bracken underfoot, ancient stone, and trees shaped by years of prevailing wind. These places feel deeply rooted and offer families space to wander, pause and take in the view.
West Penwith and the moorlands near Penzance
Open skies and textured land create a sense of stillness and scale. These landscapes suit families who enjoy walking side by side, letting conversation and connection unfold along the way. Standing stones such as Men an Tol, stone circles like the Merry Maidens, and dolmens such as Lanyon Quoit provide moments of historical interest and childhood wonder.
Gathered by place
Cornwall offers so many ways to be together. By the sea, beneath trees, across open land shaped by time and weather. Each place carries its own rhythm, inviting families to move, pause and gather in different ways.
Wherever we go, our approach stays the same. We choose locations that hold families gently, allowing moments to unfold without rush. Giving children freedom, parents ease, and space for connection.
If Cornwall feels like where your family story is written
If you are imagining your own family photoshoot, we would love to hear where you feel most at home. A favourite beach, a woodland walk, or an open stretch of land that feels like yours.
We will help you choose a place that suits your family and this season of life, and let the story unfold from there.