There’s a particular kind of light you only get in Richmond Park.

It happens early, when the sun starts to lift behind the trees and the whole world seems to glow at the edges. I’ve photographed dogs here many times, and that sunrise backlight still stops me in my tracks. Dogs look almost haloed, coats lit from behind, ears edged in gold, their outlines crisp against the soft morning haze. It’s one of those moments where London briefly disappears, and you remember you’re standing in 2,500 acres of ancient landscape, with wild deer moving quietly in the distance.

There are places you visit once and immediately start recommending to every dog guardian you know. Esher Common is one of those places.

I’ve walked here in different seasons, with different dogs, and it has never once disappointed. Pine-scented woodland that feels almost transportive, wide heathland paths edged with heather, pockets of fern-covered ground that soften the light, and a sense of space that lets dogs just be dogs. It’s generous, calming, and quietly spectacular in that very Surrey way.

Dog owners in London always ask me as a photographer for new places to explore with their dogs. Today I would like to talk about…