Family photos can take a lot of planning if you want them to turn out as good as possible. You’ll not only need to find a day that works for everyone’s schedule, but you’ll have to figure out what venue you want to use. Another big thing that you will have to figure out is who you want as your photographer. It is a good idea to meet with several different photographers beforehand to get an idea for who you will enjoy working with most. For those of you who are struggling to come up with a location to do the photo shoot, here are 5 great places to consider:

1. Head to the lake- If you don’t have any other large bodies of water nearby then you should consider heading to the lake to take your family photos. One of the best spots at the lake to take your pictures is at the dock. This should provide a great setting and give your photographer a lot to work with.
2. Fancy staircase- Using a beautiful staircase is a really great option for providing some  memorable photos. Staircases work really well if you have a large family and want to get everyone to fit in the picture without having to back really far up.
3. Go to the beach- One of the most classic locations that you can take your family pictures at is the beach. Not only will you have one of the most beautiful landscapes at your disposal but you get to enjoy the beach once you are done taking pictures. The beach should provide plenty of fantastic lighting and wonderfully warm pictures.
4. Hit the vineyard- Another great place to take your photos as a family is at a vineyard. Vineyards are fantastic before they are the perfect mixture of natural beauty and manmade structure. Vineyards provide a really great backdrop for taking pictures and could make for a fantastic photo shoot.
5. Downtown- One of the best places that you can go to take your family photos is in a downtown setting. Try and find a bunch of diverse textures that you can have in the background to help your pictures seem more interesting. Even in smaller cities you should be able to find some really great structures and locations to do your family shoot at.

No matter where you end up deciding to take your pictures, with the right photographer you should have no problem whatsoever getting some great pictures. If you have a hard time deciding on a location you could always split up your photo shoot over several different venues. That way you will be able to get the best of multiple venues and won’t have to compromise with your family photos.

Micah is a freelance writer for attorney Benjamin Skinner. For more information on business tips and inexpensive family activities, follow Benjamin on Twitter.