An opening event to remember
There are some events where you know, while you’re still photographing them, that you’re working on something special. The opening of the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion was one of those.
I was photographing for Serpentine at Serpentine South in Kensington Gardens, London. The annual pavilion commission brings a different architectural design to the grounds each summer, creating a temporary setting for gatherings and events. Being there as this one filled with guests was a particular pleasure.
A Capsule in Time
The 2025 pavilion, A Capsule in Time, was designed by Marina Tabassum and her practice, Marina Tabassum Architects. Four curved wooden structures enclosed a central courtyard, with translucent panels filtering light into the spaces beneath them.
There was a great deal to work with photographically. From outside, the repeated curves gave the building its shape; underneath, the timber framework divided the panels into a changing pattern of warm colours, pale light and glimpses of sky.
The structure also provided a setting for portraits. Its dark timber and projecting panels brought texture to the background without taking attention away from the person in front of them.
Guests between the gallery and pavilion
The reception extended across the lawn between the pavilion and Serpentine South. Looking back towards the gallery helped show how the event occupied the grounds, with guests gathered around tall tables and moving between the two buildings.
I moved between views of the gathering and closer photographs of conversations. Keeping the pavilion visible behind the guests gave those pictures a clear sense of place.
Among the wider scenes were smaller exchanges: a greeting, a laugh and people turning towards one another. Those moments were as much a part of the opening as the building everyone had come to see.
The hospitality gave me another part of the event to photograph, including drinks being poured at the bar beneath the pavilion’s framework.
Speeches beneath the arches
During the speeches, my attention moved between the lectern and the audience. There were expressive gestures from the speakers, while guests watched and held up phones to record from within the crowd.
Stepping back brought the scale of the pavilion into the photographs again. The speaker and audience sat within the same sweep of timber and translucent panels that had first caught my attention.
A place designed for gathering
The connection between the architecture and the event was central to this shoot. In the architects’ account of the design, the pavilion draws on South Asian shamiyana tents used for gatherings and celebrations. One of its sections was also designed to move, allowing the spaces to connect differently.
At the opening, I could photograph the structure with people moving through it, meeting beneath its arches and gathering for the speeches. Alongside that activity, the closer architectural views gave space to appreciate the materials and light. It was a thoroughly enjoyable combination to photograph.
You can see more of my event photography in London, including cultural events, launches and receptions. Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss photography for your event.
