Where to Have Your Session--Think Outside the Box!

Once you've booked a date for family photos, the next step is to figure out where you want your photos taken. Often, you might start by thinking generally what you want the backdrop to your photos to be: the beach, the woods, a trail, the park, a lake, a field, your own home. These are the typical locations that will likely pop into your head. But, there are plenty of unique and fun locations that you could utilize as well, many that might be local to you. Think especially about any place that might hold special meaning for you--one client below chose the zoo because their daughter had just turned one and they spent a lot of time there during her first year. She even spoke her first word while looking at the big cats, so how special is it that they now have a whole gallery of images there?!? Here are a few places that you might not have considered for your session:

Art museums or sculpture parks - These locations have so many options for really cool photos. You can get creative and use the sculptures in your images for interesting compositions as well as backgrounds for family shots, but you can also do a lot of more documentary/lifestyle type shots where you're wandering the museum or a child is looking in wonder at a painting.

The Zoo or Aquarium - Locations like this present a lot of documentary-type photo opportunities, but depending on the zoo or aquarium, you can also find some spots for more traditional family photos so that you get a good mix of the styles in your gallery! There are great opportunities for children to get excited about the animals they're seeing, interesting lighting and compositions, and special moments to be documented .

Breweries or Wineries - Especially fun for couples, breweries and wineries often have large windows that allow for beautiful light, and sometimes there are really fun seating options, large lawn games or beautiful bar areas that can be used in your photos to really make them unique!

Wandering the city - If you live near a large city, you can choose a specific area to wander with your photographer and take photos. Boston, for instance, has a lot of neighborhoods that you could choose from. Beacon Hill has a lot of brownstones, cute doorways, lots of ivy, cobblestone streets, all of which make for beautiful backdrops. The Seaport is a bit more industrial, but also boasts areas where you could have the harbor as your backdrop. The North and South Ends, Back Bay and the Fenway area also have their own unique charms that make for special photos.

Here are some examples from two different family sessions that I had this year in unique locations. One at the DeCordova Sculpture Museum and one at the Stoneham Zoo!