Looking for the perfect spot for your family photos? Look no further! I’ve collected my top five favorite spots. Sure, there are plenty of other places, but these are my top picks.

1. Baker Creek Preserve

   Yes, I love this place! Not only are there some great mountain biking trails and two natural play areas, but it’s a GREAT spot for family photos. It’s my go-to spot because of the diversity of the landscape there. It has open fields, shrouded trails, forest, and low, brushy areas that give plenty of options depending on the time of day and amount of light available. Here’s my favorite photo that I’ve taken at Baker Creek.

   

2. Meads Quarry

   Meads is very similar to Baker Creek. There are mountain biking and hiking trails, forested paths, and a beautiful quarry lake. It also has that wonderful combo landscape of forest, field, and brush that makes it an optimal place to work nearly any time of day and with any lighting condition. Here’s one of my favorite images from Meads Quarry.

   

3. Admiral Farragut Park

   This park has such a beautiful shoreline right along the Tennessee River. It’s a generous and full shoreline (unless there’s been really heavy rain) with plenty of room for a family to roam around and play on the rocks! This park also has some beautiful wooded trails and open field spaces. It’s a beautiful spot for a picnic, disc golf, or running, too! Here’s an image I love from Admiral Farragut Park.

   

4. Ijams Nature Center

   Ijams is hands-down one of my most beloved spaces in Knoxville. That’s not just for photography, but for life in general! If you don’t know about Ijams, it’s a 315-acre nature center that’s actually located in the City of Knoxville. It’s truly the gem of Knoxville, and it’s my favorite place for alone time, wildlife photography, and educational programs to boot. Ijams also has a variety of landscapes to choose from: forest, field, meadow, shoreline, and dense, woody vegetation. Here’s one of my favorite images I took at Ijams.

   

5. Your own house

   OK, this one is a trick. =) But it’s a real answer! Having a photo session in your own home is a great way to get the photos you want with zero travel time involved! Plus, you and your family will likely be more comfortable in your natural environment. Having photos of you interacting in your own home will be such a treasure when the children are adults and on their own. They will be able to look back and see their old toys and clothes, and you never know what small element will spark a treasured memory! Here’s an image I love from an in-house photo session. It’s not fancy, and there’s no pretense here. It’s just a young girl having a snack on the counter. But it shows the beauty of that day and that quiet moment at their farm house.

   

There you have it! These are my top five choices for family photos. If you have other ideas, I’d love to hear them.

If you have questions about family photos and my availability, please send me an email. Or take a look at my collection of family photography.