It’s already time to start thinking about booking family photos! We usually do our family photos in early October so that we can order our Christmas cards early. Parks in San Diego are GREAT for family photos – there are so many amazing spots!
Why have Family Photos in a Park?
Looking back at all of our family photos for this blog post, I think we’ve only ever had our family photos in a park… they just make for such great pictures! Here are a few reasons why you might consider having your family photos in a park:
- Built-in entertainment: it can be difficult for young children to participate in a photo shoot, so it’s nice to have space for them to run around between shots or to be able to reward them by letting them play after you’re done.
- Flexibility: if you have a large family, doing family pictures at a park enables you to have space and get pictures of everybody – without cramming them into a studio!
- Including your pets: as you can see, my family has dogs! We like to include our pups in our family photos and so parks are the perfect place for family photos. *Note: not all parks allow dogs, so be sure to check… Here is a lookup of parks where dogs are allowed.
- COVID: parks are open in San Diego (where indoor studios might not be) and offer a safe spot for family photos because it’s outdoors and easy to maintain social distance.
What Makes a Good Park for Family Photos?
I am not a professional photographer, so I consulted with a couple of my favorite photographers to learn about what makes a park great for family photos. Here’s what Frankie, from All Good Things Photography, and Tarsha Jones, from Tarsha Jones Photography, had to say:
- Diffused light: Light beaming through trees creates an ethereal or magical effect that is just beautiful. This is why the beach is sometimes difficult or really hazy because there’s nothing to separate the subject and the sunlight. The lighting and timing has to be just right at the beach. (Frankie)
- Interesting Backgrounds: Parks with different features create lots of possibilities for interesting photos. With a park like Old Poway Park, I can capture fun family photos with the train or take engagement/maternity photos by the bridge. (Tarsha)
- Natural Elements: Already established trails, lookout points and hidden gems make a park great for creating unique photos without having to disturb the existing habitat/wildlife. The last think I would want to do is ruin flowers and plants just to get a photo, so a park that already has trails leading to good pockets of light is awesome. (Frankie)
- Quite Parks: You don’t want to go to a really busy park for family photos. It can be hard to get a photo without a bunch of people in the background. Also, Frankie says “Most people don’t want to be taking photos with an audience, it can make you more uncomfortable than you already might be.”
Some Tips for Family Photos
If you’ve decided on taking your family pictures in a park, here are some tips:
- Pick a good time of day: photographers prefer the golden hours of the day (shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset), but you also need to consider nap times (right after a nap is best) and meal times.
- Choose comfortable clothes that aren’t too matchy: one great thing about having family photos in a park is that you don’t need to get too dressed up! Pick clothes that are comfortable and complement each other, without all wearing the same outfit. Here are a two things I’ve done when planning outfits for family photos: 1) pick a color family (pastels or jewel tones, for example) and let everyone pick their own clothes (and maybe bring an option too), and 2) go to Old Navy and look at what the mannequins in the front of the store are wearing… they usually have outfits for kids, teens and adults that look good together without being the same outfit.
- Bring water, snacks and bribes: You’re not going to get a good photo if your kids are hungry, thirsty or bored. Wet wipes are always a good idea too!
- Try to relax: As I spend hours looking at “outfits for family photos” on Pinterest, I realize this is easier said than done. Try to prepare, but not obsess. Get haircuts scheduled before pictures if you can, but know that it’s okay if you don’t. Family photos are meant to capture a moment of real life… it’s not a magazine shoot. <3
Parks for Family Photos
Balboa Park
There are so many beautiful spots in Balboa Park. Whether you want photos in front of the iconic Botanical Building and Lily Pond (or one of the many other iconic buildings) or beautiful photos in nature, you’ll have great options in Balboa Park. Just be sure to have a specific meeting place for your photographer!
Presidio Park
This historic park near Old Town has 40 acres on a hill overlooking San Diego. All the beautiful trees provide the diffused lighting that Frankie was talking about and the Junipero Serra Museum offers archways and stairs that also make for interesting backdrops.
Old Poway Park
Old Poway Park has so many beautiful backgrounds! You can get rustic photos in front of the train cars or on the tracks, or beautiful natural backgrounds in front of the lovely trees.
Centennial Park
For more of an urban feel, Centennial Park in Coronado offers beautiful San Diego skyline backdrops. You can also walk down to the sand below and get some beach photos! It would be fun to do family photos and then grab lunch nearby.
Your Neighborhood Park
It’s likely the neighborhood park that you visit all the time would be a great place for family photos (and potentially less crowded)! If your park has trees, boulders, fences, trails, or bridges, it would probably be a great backdrop with the added bonus of being a true slice of your everyday life (versus a park you only visited one time… for family photos). This picture was taken at Miramar Overlook park, just off the sidewalk.
Search for Parks in San Diego
While researching all the parks in San Diego for my database, I paid particular interest to parks that would be great for family photos. As you can see, we’ve had family photos at Old Poway Park, Presidio Park, and Centennial Park – all beautiful venues for family photos in San Diego! I wanted to be able to help families get some great family photos.
Click here to search for Parks for Family Photos
Finding a park in San Diego for your family photos is easy with our searchable park database. All you need to do is click here… After that, you can refine your search even more (for example, by location or feature) to find the perfect park for your family pictures!
