Five Family Portrait Ideas for Historic Towns

The best family portrait ideas are simple to implement with a bit of practice. Ever since we had our first family photos taken by Little Moon Photography, I have been inspired to develop my photography skills.  I love capturing my boys personalities as they grow. My absolute favorite place to take photos of them is in historic towns. They are filled with great props and backdrops for amazing shots.    There are plenty of great family portrait ideas.  Here are some of my favorite ones!

Five Family Portrait Ideas When Shooting in Historic Towns

1.  Set up the prop and let the photo just happen

I just loved the color and design of this bench. It made a perfect prop for a series of photos between the kids. Be sure to have another adult to help you spot small children to avoid unnecessary accidents. No photo is worth an injury!

2. Look for colorful door frames to highlight or accent your subject’s clothing and facial features.

Historic towns are full of bright colors and leading lines. Capture your subjects in front of doors that complement facial features or clothing.  The bright green door draws out the blue in my son’s eyes and the bright teal in his shirt in the photo above.

3.  Brick is Powerful

Never underestimate  just how visually appealing the lines of brick are when photographing subjects. Brick is a creative yet simple way to make a statement.

4.  Use Framing to Draw Attention to Your Subject

Instead of eliminating your background, frame your subject around door frames, windows and street signs to heighten visual interest in your photograph.

5. Relax, Step Back, and Observe

Let’s face it, as soon as you pick up a camera kids just know you want them to look at you and smile. Typically the last thing they want to do is cooperate with your camera game, so take a deep breath, step back and let them explore their surroundings. Not every photo needs to be posed. My favorite photos tend to be those that tell a story and show personality traits of the subject.

Spend the day exploring a new historic town, shopping, shooting, and eating. More importantly have a lot of fun capturing this stage in your child’s life, because you will never get it back again.

What are some of your favorite family portrait ideas?  Do you live close to any historic towns that would be fun to photograph your kids in?

Linking up to Life Rearranged, This or That Thursday, Favorite Photo Friday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Foto Friday, Fabulous Friday Challenge, Photo Friday, and Look Whooooo’s Snapping.

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Tagged as: family portraits, historic towns, photograhy tips, photographing children