Making the decision to have family photos taken is one of the best things you can do for your family. You are making the time to let your family know they are important, and taking a huge step toward preserving your family’s legacy. Families sometimes get bogged down with the logistics, such as what to wear or which location should they choose to have their photos taken. A good professional photographer will be able to work with your family and guide you as to the best outfit choices and the best time of day to be photographed. When it comes to the location, we love to get our clients’ input. The location should not just be in good light, with a nice colorful aspect, but we believe that the best locations are those that are part of the client’s history and personal story.
What does your family do together for fun?
Start by thinking, what is it that your family does together for fun? Do you engage in a particular sport or hobby? Where did the parents meet or get married? What is your profession, and do you do that in a location that might be fun to preserve? Get creative and put some thought into it ahead of time for lasting memories that will be handed down for generations!
Whether you’re looking for historic charm, natural beauty, or a lively urban scene, New Orleans has it all for capturing beautiful family moments. These are some of our favorites, and we are always open to new and different ideas!
City Park
City Park is one of our most requested venues to shoot, and we love it! There are several different areas in the park where we can shoot, making it easy to capture a number of different scenes. Note that there is a $75.00 permit required for us to shoot in the park.
Considerations when looking for a location that accommodates large or multi-generational families: look for a location that has steps or some kind of levels for staggering the subjects in the image. Butler Fountain, near City Park Avenue, is ideal for this and gives a nice area with steps that we can layer the family members on. We’ve also used the front steps of the Ladder Library on St. Charles Avenue on a Sunday morning, when the library was closed.
The Sculpture Garden in City Park
Located within City Park, the sculpture garden is a beautiful setting that is filled with tons of gorgeous plants, flowers and moss covered trees. It also houses the “Love” sculpture, a true family favorite! There is a separate fee of $75.00 required to shoot in the Sculpture Garden, so many of our clients choose either the Sculpture Garden, or City Park.
Audubon Park
If a park setting is what you are looking for, and you do not want to pay the permit fees for City Park or Sculpture Garden, there are lots of places we love to shoot in Audubon Park. Each of the parks have the beautiful oak trees, so if a green, natural setting is what your family is after, Audubon Park would be a good choice.
The French Quarter
This is the place New Orleans is most famous for and one of the most requested places by out of town guests, and locals alike. The French Quarter is a colorful, historic backdrop that makes any photoshoot come to life. There is a $50 fee required to shoot inside of Jackson Square, but there are plenty of places we shoot around the square that can capture the Cathedral in the background, and we know lots of places that capture the colorful shotgun houses and historic landmarks that make the city famous.
The Bywater
This eclectic neighborhood is a treasure trove of artistic expression. The vibrant street art, quirky storefronts, and unique architecture in Bywater make for a fun and distinctive backdrop that reflects the city’s vibrant creative spirit.
Algiers Point
Just across the river, Algiers Point offers a slice of small-town charm within the city. The colorful Creole cottages, cobblestone streets, and local shops create a cozy and intimate atmosphere perfect for capturing heartwarming family moments. Depending on the height of the river, there is also a small beach that can be accessed with views of the city in the background.
Crescent Park
Enjoy breathtaking views of the Mississippi River and the city skyline from this scenic park, creating a modern and dynamic backdrop for your family portraits.
A local fair, festival or amusement area
This photo was taken in the amusement area inside of Audubon Zoo. The Zoo is a wonderful location for photography, and our clients generally bring us in with them on their family pass. For the additional price of a carousel ride, we were able to capture this precious image. Considerations for shooting in the zoo: think about going in during a week day and close to closing time. The zoo will be less crowded and the light will be softer and create a better shooting environment.
The Family Home
The family home is one of our favorite places to photograph a family and create a story that is uniquely yours! What better place to show your family being who they are than in the place where they live and play. We love to come in and find spots of beautiful light in your home, and this is a great way to include the family pets, too!
A Local Business or Anywhere You Love to Have Fun
Where does your family love to hang out? A snowball stand, a fishing camp (yes, we’ve gone to one of those), a fun bar, a fun restaurant. Think of what your family loves to do together, and often it just involves a call to the manager of a business to work out the logistics, or a quick ask on the day of shooting. Don’t be afraid to ask us about your favorite place. You never know what we might be up for!
Longue Vue House and Garden, or Other Garden
Longue Vue House and Garden is a private historic estate tucked away in the area right at the New Orleans/Metairie boundary. Although there is a fee associated with shooting there, the gardens make for some of the most stunning scenery you can find and is well worth the price of admission. Similar places with beautiful gardens might be many of the historic plantations that line the River Road just west of the New Orleans area, or cute little courtyard gardens that are part of some of the smaller boutique hotels in the French Quarter.
Your Local Park
We often say, “a park is a park is a park” … which means that as long as we can find greenery, we can photograph a beautiful outdoor look. There are many little local parks that could provide just the scenery you are looking for, such as the Veteran’s Park in Kenner, which contains some of the remnants of Pontchartrain Beach, or the green areas in Lake Vista.
A College or School Campus
If a member of the family is attending school or college in the New Orleans area, this can be a wonderful place to shoot family photos that has a very special connection to the members of the group. The photo below was taken on the campus of Dillard University. However we have shot on many college campuses in and around the New Orleans area, as well as high school campuses. Just make sure you have contacted the school office or security to make sure that permission is allowed before shooting.
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