Best places for family photos in Montreal
Planning family photos in Montreal? 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 Montreal
Mount Royal - Kondiaronk Belvedere
Wide stone terraces and the chalet plaza give a family group plenty of room to spread out, while the wooded gravel paths behind offer somewhere quieter if the view gets crowded. Weekdays here run noticeably calmer than weekends, when the belvedere fills with people taking in the same skyline.
For family photos: room for the whole group to spread out.
Old Port of Montreal (Vieux-Port)
The waterfront promenade runs flat and paved the whole way, room enough for kids to range ahead toward the moored boats and circle back without losing the group. Early mornings keep the quays close to empty, well before the crowds that build through the day.
For family photos: an easygoing setting that keeps kids engaged.
Montreal Botanical Garden
Seventy-five hectares of themed gardens give kids room to run from the rose beds to the greenhouses without doubling back through the same crowd twice. Weekday mornings, ahead of the tour groups, keep the paths open enough that a chasing toddler stays the only motion in frame.
For family photos: a backdrop that still feels like home year after year.
Place Jacques-Cartier
The square slopes gently downhill from Notre-Dame toward the river, giving kids a natural, safe grade to walk or run without any real hazard. Early morning, before the market stalls set up, clears the cobblestones of the crowds that build through the rest of the day.
For family photos: space to run without wandering out of frame.
Parc Jean-Drapeau
Two islands' worth of open lawns and waterfront paths give kids room to run well ahead of the camera before circling back, with the geodesic Biosphere dome as a landmark to run toward. Go on a weekday and the paths stay clear of the crowds that fill the sand on weekends.
For family photos: somewhere the grandparents can reach and sit comfortably.
Atwater Market & Lachine Canal
Footbridges and towpaths give kids a place to run back and forth over the canal while parents wait on solid, flat pavement below. Skip market days and the towpath empties out, leaving the seasonal flower stands and canal reflections as the only company in frame.
For family photos: a spot that holds a large group without a crowd behind them.
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Parc La Fontaine
Two ponds and a scatter of arching footbridges give kids plenty of ground to cross and recross while everyone else keeps walking. Come on a weekday and the crowds that fill the lawns on weekends thin out, leaving a chasing toddler as the only motion near the water.
For family photos: enough going on to keep toddlers cheerful between frames.
Saint Joseph's Oratory
The grand staircase and terraced gardens spread a family group across several levels at once instead of lining everyone up on flat ground. Weekdays here run quieter than the basilica's weekend crowds, leaving the hillside terraces mostly to whoever climbed them.
For family photos: open ground for the classic everyone-together shot.
Bonsecours Market & Basin
Flat paths along the basin give kids room to run beside the water while the silver-domed market and the chapel steeple stay fixed in the background. Skip a market day and the cobbled streets around the basin clear out enough that strangers rarely wander into frame.
For family photos: corners for the smaller, quieter groupings.
Westmount Park
Towering shade trees and open lawns give kids plenty of room to run past the lily pond and back, away from downtown's usual crowds. The stone footbridge makes a natural spot to regroup once everyone has had a turn chasing something across the grass.
For family photos: a setting that suits repeat visits as the family grows.
McGill University (Roddick Gates & Campus)
The Arts Building lawn gives kids open, level ground to run across, while the tree-lined walks nearby offer plenty of shade to duck into and out of the sun. Weekday mornings keep the lower campus quiet, well ahead of the crowds that convocation season brings.
For family photos: forgiving light for a group with mixed heights.
Maison Saint-Gabriel
Small and private by design, the enclosed farmhouse grounds let parents and kids share the poetry path and wooded glade with almost no one else passing through. The recreated period vegetable garden gives kids something specific to look at up close between portraits.
For family photos: a backdrop that reads as your city, not anywhere.
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Shooting family photos in Montreal
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 Montreal. Booking takes a couple of minutes, and you can reschedule for free if plans change.
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