Family portrait ideas
Canberrans are spoilt for choice in this beautiful city. Whether that is going to a walk, a picnic, or a bike ride, you can cram so much into your weekends.
Many of these places are accessible to everyone.
What makes Canberra a nice place to live also makes Canberra the perfect place to take photographs.
While studio photos are nice, they can be a little stuffy compared to outdoor photographs.
I am continuously on the lookout for interesting and attractive spots to hold my family portrait sessions. These are some of my favourites.
Why not use Canberra’s beautiful outdoors for your next family photographs.
1. Everyone is a short distance from a lake
It does not matter if you live in Gungahlin, North Canberra, Tuggeranong or Belconnen, everyone is a short drive away from a lake.
While Lake Burley Griffin is the best for photography as there are a number of different entry points, the foreshore of Lake Ginninderra, Yerrabi Pond and Tuggeranong Lake will still allow you to have some beautiful images taken.
Each of the lakes have several areas where kids can run around giving the photographers options of taking photos of the kids at play. Most areas around the lakes can be use for morning and afternoon photo shoots.
2. The Arboretum
One word and that is the ‘Arboretum’ – the king of photographic locations in Canberra.
The Arboretum is perfect if you have only got time to visit one location or you can spend a couple of hours there and go to several locations. The Himalayan Cedars is my go-to location as you get sensational views of the lake combined with the beautiful woodlands. You can round out the visit with a quick trip up to the Wide Brown Land sculpture to get some more beautiful images and some very Canberra images.
Other locations that are equally outstanding are Dairy Farmers Hill where you also get sensations views or the cork oak forest which come alive during sunset.
The Arboretum is extremely versatile to allow you to take photo both in the morning and the afternoon. While not recommended, you could have photographs taken during the middle of the day also.
If the sweeping views were not enough, after your photo experience you can head down to the Arboretum Café and share your experience with your family and photographer over a delightful cup of coffee.
3. Canberra has four seasons
One of the reasons why Canberra is such a terrific place to take photographs outdoors are the four seasons that we are hit with each year.
Whether it is spring with its flush of cherry blossoms or autumn leaves that come alive with colour in March each year is something special to remember. There are pockets of beauty scattered around Canberra if you go out searching for them.
The road leading down to Government House is stunning, particularly around Autumn!
Harrison offer some of the best cherry blossoms in Canberra.
4. Sensational sunrises and sunsets
If you are up earlier enough or prepared to let your photo experience run late in the afternoon, you could be graced with the sensational sunrise and sunset that frequent Canberra regularly. It is not unusual for the sky to light up into deep reds or blue and pinks at different times for the year.
5. Great locations that are not the lake
We are inundated with great locations across Canberra that would be perfect for your family photographs. It does not matter where you live.
It just takes a little imagination, good composition techniques for your photographer to create wonderful masterpieces.
Outside one of the lakes, you can head down to Old Parliament House and utilise the old architecture or the greenery of the rose gardens in the Senate or House of Representative courtyards. An alternative is the old bus depot and around the old Powerhouse building which gives to plenty of leading lines and interesting architecture for your photographs.
For a more rural backdrop there are a couple of interesting reserves across Canberra. There is the Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve, which borders Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, offers one of the best rural setting that is close to Canberra. You may also get some local wildlife in your photographs. A little closer is Franklin Grasslands that offers a rural urban setting with gum trees to shelter from the sunlight. Yarralumla Woolshed offers an idyllic rural location on the south side.
The graffiti in and around the City and Lonsdale Street often something a little different. Lonsdale Street has interesting use of concrete for a very modern photo shoot.
6. Not the cultural institutions
We often think of the cultural institutions as places that we go to see blockbuster art exhibitions.
However, it is outsides these buildings that come alive from photographers.
The National Gallery of Australia has the sculpture gardens and James Turrell’s Skyspace – an interesting, yet photogenic structure. It is enclosed by a stunning green mound of grass, circled by a serene water enclosure. A popular place for wedding photos and family portraits a like.
The National Portrait Gallery has the sculptures of Robert Lee Reconciliation Place and Reconciliation Place itself with the High Court as an interesting back drop… For a more modern backdrop head back across the lake to the National Museum of Australia which has a funky entrance and building to excite.
Canberra is a magnificent and attractive place. There is an overabundance of ideas to hold your next family portrait session. It is just a matter of thinking outside the square and coming up with a list of places that would be ideal for photographs regardless of the occasion.