Best places for family photos in Detroit

Grass stretches wide and flat around the James Scott Memorial Fountain, plenty of open lawn for kids to run off energy between poses without wandering into someone else's photo. Weekday visits keep the paths quieter, and the wooded stretches past the fountain give you a second backdrop once the little ones get restless.

For family photos: room for the whole group to spread out.

Palms and ferns fill a single warm room under the dome, small enough that no one loses track of a wandering toddler, and the glass overhead keeps light even no matter the weather outside. It stays quiet on weekdays, so a family can spread across the room without other visitors drifting into frame.

For family photos: an easygoing setting that keeps kids engaged.

The paved boardwalk runs flat and wide enough for a stroller and a running kid at the same time, with Cullen Plaza and Rivard Plaza only steps away when someone needs to duck out for a break. Weekday mornings keep the crowds down, and by sunset the Windsor skyline across the water gives the group something to point at.

For family photos: a backdrop that still feels like home year after year.

Kids gravitate to the fountain at the center of the plaza without any prompting, and the surrounding skyscrapers give you a backdrop without walking anywhere else. Come on a weekend morning before downtown fills in, since the plaza gets busy and foot traffic picks up fast.

For family photos: space to run without wandering out of frame.

The market's brick sheds and mural walls give kids plenty to look at between shots, and the flat sidewalks make it easy to keep an eye on everyone at once. Go on a quiet weekday morning between market days, when the sheds sit open and empty and the light falls even across the murals.

For family photos: somewhere the grandparents can reach and sit comfortably.

A flat paved path runs the length of the sunken corridor, wide enough for bikes, strollers, and kids weaving between the mural walls without anyone needing to watch their footing. Enter by the ramps at Gratiot or Woodbridge, and pick an overcast day so the recessed walls don't throw hard shadow across smaller faces.

For family photos: a spot that holds a large group without a crowd behind them.