Book a Family Photoshoot
in Lyon

This happens all the time, and our family photographers are prepared for it. The secret is that the best family photos don't come from asking kids to pose — they come from play. Your photographer will turn the session into a game: racing along the beach at Biarritz, feeding ducks in Annecy, hunting for gargoyles on Paris' old churches, storming the towers of Carcassonne. Tantrums and shy phases get waited out with a break and a pain au chocolat, and sessions are scheduled around naps and meals. Even a session that feels chaotic in the moment produces wonderful genuine images — often better than the ones where everyone behaved.

There's no wrong age — each stage photographs differently and beautifully. Babies bring quiet, tender close-ups; toddlers bring motion and hilarious candid moments; school-age kids love the adventure of exploring châteaux and beaches on camera; teens relax once they realise nobody is forcing stiff poses. Multi-generation shoots with grandparents are among the most treasured bookings we see, especially on family reunion trips to Provence or the Loire. The one practical tip: with children under five, book morning sessions when energy and light are both at their best. Your Photo France photographer adapts the pace and games to the ages in your group.

Aim for a coordinated palette rather than identical outfits: two or three soft colors that everyone wears in their own way. Creams, soft blues, sage and sand tones look wonderful against Paris' pale stone, Provence's ochre walls and the Atlantic's grey-green sea. Skip big logos, characters and neon shades. Dress kids in clothes they can move and play in — the session will involve running, climbing steps and sitting on beaches or lawns. Bring a change of clothes for little ones (French fountains and beaches are irresistible) and comfortable shoes for cobbled lanes. Your photographer will send simple styling tips for your specific location and season when you book.

Professional photoshoots in Lyon start from €310. Packages vary by duration and the number of edited photos — from a short session in the Renaissance lanes of Vieux Lyon to a full evening that climbs to Fourvière for the city view and comes back down to the Saône quays at blue hour.

Rue Saint-Jean and Rue du Bœuf in Vieux Lyon for Renaissance facades, the open traboules and the great staircase of the Cour des Voraces in Croix-Rousse, the esplanade beside Fourvière basilica for the whole city, the Passerelle Saint-Georges over the Saône, and Place Bellecour and the arcaded streets of the Presqu'île. Your photographer will route it so the funicular does the climbing.

Yes, in the ones that are open — a few dozen passages carry a plaque saying visitors may pass through during the day. They are the entrance halls and courtyards of private buildings, so the rules are simple and non-negotiable: quiet voices, no flash, no tripod blocking the passage, and out before residents come home. A small couple or family session moves through in minutes; anything larger belongs outside on the street.