By Aleksandria Rudenko | Published 28 October 2026

Woman in a denim shirt and glasses smiling under a weeping willow in Leiden, water glinting through the branches on a summer afternoon

After three years in the city, Nadia finally booked summer portraits in Leiden. She wanted new photos for her work profile, and a few for her family back home in South Africa.

In July, Leiden is about more than its canals: old trees, willows by the water and flower baskets on the lampposts. So I planned a short route past all three, as I do for my photoshoots in Leiden.

Where
Leiden, under its trees and by the water
When
July, mid-afternoon
Session
Portrait Photoshoot
Light
Bright summer sun, soft shade under the leaves

A Broad Old Tree

We started at a broad old tree in a quiet green corner. Nadia wore a long black dress and leaned against the trunk with her arms crossed. Because the sun was high, I kept her in the shade of the leaves, while the light still touched the grass behind her. Then she laughed at her own nerves, and the session began for real.

Full-length portrait of a woman in a long black dress laughing against a broad old tree trunk in a green corner of Leiden
A broad old tree, mid-afternoon in July
Woman with long dark hair laughing at the camera in a black sleeveless dress, arms crossed against a broad tree trunk

After a few frames, she added a blue paisley jacket. I had sent her outfit suggestions before the day, and layers like this give one hour several looks. With one hand on the bark, she looked completely at ease, so I stepped back to show the whole tree.

Smiling woman in a black sleeveless dress leaning on a tree trunk with crossed arms, looking off to the side in dappled shade
Blue paisley jacket over a black dress, arms crossed as she leans on the bark and smiles straight at the camera
One hand on the trunk of a big old tree, a woman in a paisley jacket stands in the summer shade of a quiet spot in Leiden

Summer Portraits Under the Willow

Ten minutes later, we stood under a weeping willow by the water. Its branches hung around her like a green curtain, and the sun came through in small bright spots. Here she swapped the jacket for a denim shirt and put on her glasses. Of all the spots for summer portraits in Leiden, this one felt the most like her.

Woman in an open denim shirt over a black dress standing under the long hanging branches of a weeping willow, glasses on and hair up
Under a weeping willow by the water

I asked about her first Dutch winter, and she burst out laughing. A second later, she looked straight into the lens, calm and serious. I want both in a gallery: the laugh and the quiet look.

Laughing woman in a denim shirt and round glasses under the hanging branches of a willow, a summer portrait in Leiden
Close portrait of a woman with a calm, serious look, glasses and a top bun, arms crossed in a denim shirt before soft green leaves

Hair Down, Glasses Off

Halfway through, she let her hair down. With her glasses on, she laughed out loud; without them, her smile turned softer. The two frames are only a minute apart, yet they show two sides of her.

Woman with long dark hair and glasses laughing with crossed arms in a denim shirt, willow leaves glowing green behind her
Without her glasses, hair down over one shoulder, a woman smiles in a denim shirt during her summer portraits in Leiden

Next, the paisley jacket came back, this time against the rough bark of another tree. Its pattern and the deep grooves of the bark fill the frame around her smile.

Laughing woman in glasses and a blue and red paisley jacket, arms folded against the deeply grooved bark of an old tree

One Last Portrait in Leiden

We ended at an old green lamppost with a basket of pink and white petunias hanging from it. Behind her, bikes stood in their racks, an everyday scene in this city.

Smiling woman in glasses and a paisley jacket leaning on an ornate green lamppost, pink and white petunias hanging above her
Woman in a paisley jacket leaning on a dark green lamppost under a basket of pink and white petunias on a summer day in Leiden
Petunias on a lamppost, at the end of the afternoon

Before we said goodbye, she leaned against the lamppost once more, hair down and glasses off. That quiet frame closed her summer portraits in Leiden. Within a week, her gallery was ready: a new profile photo for work, and a laughing one for home. Planning a session of your own? My solo photoshoot ideas may help.

Woman with her hair down and no glasses smiling beside an ornate green lamppost, the last portrait of a summer afternoon in Leiden

Living in Leiden, or here for a visit? Discover how my photoshoots in Leiden work.