Best places for family photos in Memphis
Planning family photos in Memphis? These are the spots worth shortlisting, chosen for the light, the backdrop, and how easily a session comes together.
12 places to shoot family photos & videos in Memphis
Memphis Botanic Garden
Two dozen separate garden rooms mean a bored kid always has somewhere new to duck into a few steps ahead, instead of dragging through one long open lawn. Weekday mornings thin out the tour groups considerably, so strangers rarely wander into the back of a frame.
For family photos: room for the whole group to spread out.
Overton Park
At 342 acres, kids can run ahead and circle back without anyone feeling boxed in, especially across the open meadows near the park's edge. Weekdays draw far fewer visitors than weekends, so a picnic or a stray dog rarely photobombs the shot.
For family photos: an easygoing setting that keeps kids engaged.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens
Each formal garden room here is small enough to hold one child's attention for a few minutes before the next one pulls them along, which keeps a session moving without a meltdown. Coming on a weekday morning, ahead of the tour buses, the paths stay open enough that strangers rarely end up in frame.
For family photos: a backdrop that still feels like home year after year.
Shelby Farms Park
One of the largest urban parks in the country, it has room for a sprint across a meadow that still ends within calling distance. Weekdays keep the trails around Hyde Lake quieter, so the group isn't competing with anyone else's session for the same stretch of shoreline.
For family photos: space to run without wandering out of frame.
Tom Lee Park
The sculpted landforms invite climbing and rolling down, and flat paved paths mean nobody has to haul a stroller over rough ground to reach them. Weekdays thin the riverfront crowd noticeably, opening more distance between your group and anyone else out for a walk.
For family photos: somewhere the grandparents can reach and sit comfortably.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Different levels of the columned steps let a family spread out instead of lining up shoulder to shoulder for one frame. Since the museum sits inside Overton Park, restless kids can burn off energy on the open lawn just outside afterward.
For family photos: a spot that holds a large group without a crowd behind them.
Show all 12 placesShow fewer
Mud Island River Park
A child can trace the scale-model River Walk at their own pace while the rest of the group waits ahead, and the flat paved paths mean no stroller ever has to double back. Weekdays keep the peninsula quieter, with fewer people crossing behind you toward the skyline.
For family photos: enough going on to keep toddlers cheerful between frames.
Court Square
The square stays small enough that a wandering kid never leaves your sightline, and the lawn near the fountain works fine for a spontaneous sit-down. Visiting on a weekday avoids the foot traffic that otherwise fills the downtown sidewalks around it on weekends.
For family photos: open ground for the classic everyone-together shot.
Crystal Shrine Grotto (Memorial Park)
The cave and its bridges hold a child's attention longer than another stretch of lawn would, though the ground near the grotto turns uneven and is worth watching with younger kids. Weekday visits keep the paths clear of the crowds that build around the more unusual corners on weekends.
For family photos: corners for the smaller, quieter groupings.
Lichterman Nature Center
Boardwalks let older kids range a little further while staying on one connected path back to the group. Weekdays keep visitor numbers down considerably, which counts for more on a site this size than fighting another family for the same lakeshore.
For family photos: a setting that suits repeat visits as the family grows.
Rhodes College
The leafy quads leave enough open lawn for a family to spread out while the Collegiate Gothic stone buildings hold the frame together behind them. Weekends suit it best, once classes clear out and the paths stop doubling as a thoroughfare between buildings.
For family photos: forgiving light for a group with mixed heights.
University of Memphis
Bigger groups fit easily across the open greens without anyone standing on top of the next person, and a columned entrance sits nearby for anything more formal. Weekday mornings, before the campus fills up, keep those lawns mostly to yourselves.
For family photos: a backdrop that reads as your city, not anywhere.
Book a Snappr photographer in minutes. Vetted, local, and ready to shoot these spots.
Snappr family photos from cities across the world
A look at family photos our photographers have delivered, so you know the standard before you book.
Still need a photographer?
Snappr photographers are available in Memphis to shoot at the venue you choose. All vetted, insured, and booked through the same platform.
Pick a date and Snappr matches you with a vetted local photographer, every shoot backed by our quality guarantee.
Shooting family photos in Memphis
It depends on the spot. Public streets and sidewalks usually don't, while many parks, gardens, and landmarks require a permit for professional sessions. Each location above notes what we found on permits — confirm the current rules and any fee with the venue or city before you book.
Golden hour — the hour after sunrise or before sunset — flatters almost every location, and each spot above lists the light that works best there. Early morning also means thinner crowds at the popular ones.
Snappr pricing is flat and set before you book, with no travel or editing surprises. Most sessions run one to two hours; you can see current rates and what each tier includes on the pricing page.
Pick your date and shoot type and we match you with a vetted local photographer who shoots in Memphis. Booking takes a couple of minutes, and you can reschedule for free if plans change.
More places to shoot
Same guide, a different city or milestone. Every page is researched locally.
Get the shoot on the calendar
Thousands of vetted photographers, one booking flow, and every photo delivered to spec. Start in under two minutes.