One of the first questions families ask after booking a portrait session is, “Where should we take our pictures?”
The good news is that you don't have to travel far from Orangevale to find beautiful locations for family photos. I love photographing families right here in our community. Orangevale has a wonderful mix of mature trees, open spaces, trails and natural areas that can give us several different looks during one portrait session.
As an Orangevale family photographer, I also know that choosing a location isn't just about finding a pretty background. The right location depends on your family, the ages of your children, the season, the look you want for your portraits and even how much walking everyone is comfortable doing.
Here are a few of my favorite places to consider for family photos in Orangevale, California.
Norma Hamlin Park
Norma Hamlin Park is one of my favorite little hidden gems in Orangevale.
What I especially love about this location is that it doesn't have to look like you're taking family pictures at a neighborhood park. Once we move away from the playground area, there are trees, trails and plenty of natural scenery to use as our backdrop.
It's a great location when I want family portraits to have a relaxed, outdoorsy feeling without asking a family to travel far from home.
This location can work particularly well for families with younger children because we don't have to make the entire session about standing still and smiling at the camera. We can walk, explore and give the kids opportunities to interact naturally with Mom, Dad and their siblings.
It's also the location I chose for my Grandparents Day Generations sessions, because the natural setting works beautifully for photographs of grandparents, grandchildren and extended families.
Best for: Families, grandparents and grandchildren, children, small extended families and relaxed outdoor portraits.
The look: Natural, wooded, casual and distinctly Orangevale.
Orangevale Community Park
Orangevale Community Park gives us something photographers love: variety.
Because it's such a large park, we aren't limited to one little patch of grass and one background. There are open areas as well as these fun stone steps. Then there is all the trees, trails and more natural sections of the park.
That gives us room to create both traditional family portraits and the more playful images that happen in between.
I can photograph everyone together, then let the kids move around a little. We can photograph Mom with the kids, Dad with the kids, siblings together and, of course, Mom and Dad together too.
Those different combinations are an important part of a full family session.
The open space can also be wonderful when we have beautiful evening light. I love bright, colorful family portraits, and the combination of warm light, trees and open space works beautifully with that style.
Best for: Families with active children, larger families, extended families and anyone who wants several different looks during one session.
The look: Open, natural, green in some seasons and warm and golden in others.
A Place That's Meaningful to Your Family
This one might actually be my favorite. Your family photography location doesn't have to be somewhere that appears on a photographer's list of the “best” places for pictures.
Sometimes the best location is your place.
Maybe your parents have lived in the same Orangevale home for 30 years and that's where the grandchildren spend every Christmas. Maybe you have property where your kids grew up. Maybe there's a particular trail, field or neighborhood spot that has become part of your family's story.
Those locations may not mean anything to someone scrolling through Instagram, but they mean something to you. And that's exactly why they can be so special. Years from now, the background of those photographs can hold almost as many memories as the people standing in front of it.
If you have access to a private property or another meaningful location, let me know. We can talk about whether it will work well photographically and what time of day will give us the best light.
What Is the Best Time of Day for Family Photos in Orangevale?
Beautiful photography is about more than choosing the right location. Light matters just as much. For most outdoor family sessions, I prefer photographing later in the day when the sun is lower and the light becomes softer and warmer.
That doesn't mean every session begins at exactly the same time. Sunset changes throughout the year, so we'll choose your session time based on the season and the location we've selected. Some locations have plenty of tree cover and allow us more flexibility. Open locations generally benefit even more from scheduling around beautiful evening light.
This is one of the reasons I help my clients choose both their location and session time instead of simply asking them to meet me somewhere at an arbitrary hour.
What Time of Year Is Best for Orangevale Family Pictures?
There's no single perfect season for family portraits in Orangevale.
Spring can give us fresh greenery and beautiful natural backgrounds.
Summer gives us long evenings, although sessions generally need to be later in the day to avoid the strongest light and Sacramento-area heat.
Fall is incredibly popular for family photography. The landscape begins taking on warmer tones, temperatures become more comfortable and many families are thinking about updating portraits before the holidays.
But don't feel like family pictures have to happen in October or November.
Your children are changing all year long.
If it's been several years since your last family portrait, the best season may simply be the one when everyone can actually get together.
What about outside Orangevale?
We can absolutely head outside Orangevale! We live in such a beautiful area that we can also look to Folsom, Fair Oaks, Roseville, Granite Bay, Loomis and Sacramento. You tell me what vibe you're looking for and we can probably find it. And there's no travel fees if we stay within 25 miles of Orangevale. Contact me for more details!
Looking for an Orangevale Family Photographer?
I'm Cathy Kurtz, a Certified Professional Photographer specializing in families, seniors and portraits in Orangevale and throughout the greater Sacramento area.
My photography is bright, colorful, classic and focused on the people and relationships that matter to you.
If you're ready to update your family portraits, I'd love to help you plan a session. We can choose one of my favorite Orangevale photography locations, or we can talk about a place that has special meaning to your family.
Because the best location isn't always the one with the prettiest background.
Sometimes it's the place where your family's story already lives.
