If you haven’t picked the perfect spot for your Burlington family photos yet, I’d love to help you choose the perfect location! To start, I’d love to share with you some of the things I look for when selecting my preferred locations.

Burlington family summer photos cityview park mom dad two boys

The first thing I look for is a place with nice, open shade. This open shade ensures that your family won’t be squinting, and the light hitting you will be soft and beautiful. I like to shoot within two hours of sunrise or sunset to avoid the harsh sunlight that casts unflattering shadows and hot spots on you.

Another priority of mine is keeping you in beautiful, even light. If there are any trees around that are casting spotty light over the shaded area, I’ll work to get your family away from those hot spots and into complete shade with even light. Those pesky spots can be quite distracting in photos, so I’ll do my best to eliminate them to keep the focus on you.

Next, I look for locations that have natural, neutral reflectors such as stone pathways or neutral buildings to help reflect soft, white light on you. This will help ensure the colours of your images look natural and are not skewed in any way (e.g., you look more green because of the sun reflecting green from the grass you are standing on).

The last thing I look for is a clear area where lots of light can come through behind you. I like to stay away from thick brush or bushes behind you because those things hinder the light and airy style I’m known for. I’ll also watch for people or cars passing by behind you while we’re shooting. I may pause and wait for them to move so we won’t have them cluttering up your photos.

With these thoughts in mind, here are my 3 favourite locations for Burlington family photos.

Kerncliff Park: It should be no surprise that Kerncliff Park is on this list; most of the photos you will see on both my website and social media are taken here, as it is one of my favourite locations for Burlington family photos. It is a stunning and unique location for photos, offering amazing light in the morning and evening, as well as a variety of shooting locations. Kerncliff Park has a boardwalk, marsh, quarry, forest trails and tall grass meadows, it is truly a special place. Not many locations can boast a beautiful setting all year round, but Kerncliff Park can. Although it shines best in the summer and fall, spring and winter are still beautiful here, with the light that streams in the quarry being the key element. You cannot go wrong with Kerncliff Park for your Burlington family photos.

Burlington family photos sisters smiling

Cityview Park: Just up the road from Kerncliff Park at the corner of Highway 5 and Kern Road is Cityview Park. At the South Parking Lot, you will find a beautiful little trail with large trees and tall grass. This setting makes it a great choice for spring, summer and fall family photos when the foliage is in full bloom. When the flat land is covered in snow, Cityview Park can also be a great choice for winter sessions as well. Cityview Park is ideal for both morning and evening sessions and has a playground close to the shooting location (but not too close for kids to see during the session) to reward your children with after the photos.

Burlington Beach: Burlington Beach is a fun location for Burlington family photos in the warmer months. Imagine your kids digging in the sand and splashing in the water, there are lots of opportunities for movement and candid moments. I always recommend that Burlington Beach family photos be done in the morning, as it can get really busy throughout the rest of the day and into the evening. Shooting in the morning will allow for a quieter setting, and the morning light at Burlington Beach is perfect!

Dundurn Castle (Bonus): I couldn’t write this post without including Dundurn Castle. Although it is not in Burlington, it is very close, right on the border of Burlington and Hamilton. It is a location that is perfect in any season. It has beautiful trees and blooms for the spring and summer, great fall colour, and because of the neutral buildings, it is a great backdrop for winter family photos as well. At Dundurn Castle, there is a lot of variety for shooting locations and the most beautiful light streams in during both the morning and evening. This is why Dundurn Castle is one of my favourite locations for Burlington family photos.