When we think of family photo sessions, we often picture a picturesque park or a studio with perfectly staged props. While these classic settings are beautiful, there are countless fun family photography ideas that go beyond the ordinary. By choosing meaningful locations and engaging in activities your family loves—whether it’s enjoying ice cream, flying kites, or playing mini-golf—you can create a relaxed, joyful atmosphere that truly reflects your family’s personality. Let’s explore how incorporating both unique locations and fun activities can elevate your family photo experience.
Why Choose a Unique Location for Your Photo Session?
• Reflect Your Family’s Personality:
Locations that feel authentic to your family will naturally result in more genuine expressions. A family who loves pizza night might choose a cozy pizzeria, while adventurers could take their session to a hiking trail or beach.
• Memories in the Making:
Choosing a meaningful location that allows your family to engage in a fun activity together can add layers of nostalgia to your photos. Years later, you’ll be able to reminisce on the fun moments you shared during the session while looking at your photos.
• Engaged Kids, Happy Photos:
Children are more likely to engage in a session when it includes fun activities. Keeping them busy with something they love—like flying a kite or getting ice cream—leads to natural smiles and laughter.
• A Chance to Be Playful:
Unique locations invite movement and creativity, giving your family the chance to interact in ways that traditional settings might not allow. This leads to dynamic, candid photos full of energy and love.
• Relaxed Environment:
When your family is engaged in activities or their surroundings they aren’t thinking about the photos, how they look, or how well they’re behaving. Instead, they’re focused on spending time together and having fun. This allows everyone to relax and enjoy themselves, which leads to natural smiles.
Creative Ideas to Inspire Your Next Family Photo Session
1. A Favorite Pizzeria
Picture your family laughing over a shared pizza, tossing dough, or savoring their favorite slice. This setting can feel cozy, casual, and full of personality.
See below for a family session that took place at their local pizzeria.
2. Ice Cream / Frozen Yogurt Outing
Capture your kids’ delight as they choose their flavors, lick their cones, and (inevitably) get a little sticky. The vibrant colors of an ice cream parlor make for cheerful, playful backdrops. This type of session is perfect for a summer-time session to capture the feeling of what it’s like to be a kid during summer break. It’s also a perfect way to end a photo session if you want to incorporate more traditional photos first.
3. Putt-Putt Golf Course
A mini-golf outing is a fun way to showcase your family’s competitive (or not-so-competitive) spirit. It’s a perfect mix of action, laughter, and variety in your photos. If your city has a course with fun, colorful displays, and signs, even better. Many putt-putt golf places have arcades, too!
4. Flying Kites in a Field
A breezy day and a kite in the air set the stage for whimsical, lighthearted photos. It’s an activity that invites movement and connection, resulting in photos full of joy. This is an easy way to incorporate a fun activity in addition to more traditional family photos at a park. Bring some kites along, and if its windy enough, take them out for the end of your session.
5. Skateboarding or Bike Rides
For active families, hitting the local skate park or letting kids practice riding their bikes offers unique perspectives and action-packed images. These are the memories you are making with your kids on a regular basis. You may have photos of your kids enjoying these activities, but are you in the photos with them during these types of memory-making activities? That’s where hiring a photographer comes in.
6. Your Own Backyard / Home
Sometimes the most meaningful places are right at home. Think backyard picnics, playing on a swing set, playing with your animals, gardening, running around in the sprinklers, eating summer-time treats like watermelon or popsicles, or roasting marshmallows around a fire pit for cozy when it is colder outside. An in-home session can also be considered a unique setting when you include activities like baking, bath time, playing board games, or crafting.
7. Beach Fun
The beach provides endless opportunities for heartfelt and serene shots. Your family photos at the beach don’t have to be stuffy where everyone is trying to stay dry, smiling at the camera. Let your kids run into the waves! Sit down with them in the sand as you build a sand castle together. Play tag, body surf, eat watermelon, whatever you normally do on a family vacation at the beach, you can do at your photo session!
Benefits of Incorporating Activities into Family Photos
1. Natural Interactions:
Activities help everyone relax, interact naturally, and forget about the camera, resulting in candid, authentic photos. You’ll be less worried about whether everyone is smiling at the camera or if your kids are using their “real smiles” because everyone will be too busy enjoying themselves.
2. Storytelling Through Movement:
Action shots—like swinging on a playground, chasing waves, or rolling out pizza dough—add depth and context to your images, telling the story of your family in that moment.
3. Keeps Kids (and Adults) Engaged:
activity-based photo sessions feel less like a formal photo shoot and more like a fun family outing, everyone is more wiling to participate. So, if you’ve thought “my spouse doesn’t like taking photos”, then suggest a session where they are doing something fun as a family rather than going to a field for formal photos. . Or if you’ve ever thought “my kid won’t last an entire hour for pictures,” then this type of photo session is perfect for your family.
Tips for Choosing the Right Location
1. Think About Your Family’s Interests:
What activities do you love doing together? What places hold special meaning? Where do you spend time as a family? Do your kids play instruments? What does your weekend routine look like? Start there.
2. Consider Logistics:
Make sure the location is safe, accessible, and fits your session’s needs (e.g., timing, crowds, lighting, and weather).
The biggest thing to consider is whether or not you’ll be allowed to take professional photos at your chosen location. For instance, many libraries and museums do not allow photography. Some places do not allow flash photography. You (or your photographer) will need to get permission (preferably written/email) before you settle on your desired location.
3. Communicate with Your Photographer:
Share your ideas and collaborate to choose a spot that complements your family’s story and your photographer’s style.
Traditional locations, like a park, will take place around sunrise or sunset. But if you’re choosing a business, your session will need to take place within its operating hours AND when it’s not busy. This means you need to work with your photographer to see if they can do a session during those hours.
Also, not every photographer will be comfortable photographing in new, untested locations or indoor settings. Some places may require a flash (if allowed by business) and not every photographer uses flash in their work.
By stepping outside the box, you can transform your family photo session into a memorable adventure. Whether you’re savoring scoops of ice cream, chasing kites, or laughing over a slice of pizza, choosing a unique location that reflects your family’s personality will result in beautiful, authentic, and fun images you’ll treasure for years to come.
What’s your dream family photo session? Let’s plan it!
