Camps Bay, Bloubergstrand and the Stellenbosch Winelands are my three main zones — but they’re not the whole story. These are the other spots I shoot: a city promenade, a quiet forest, and three beaches further down the peninsula. Different feel, same approach.
My shoots are 99% location based — the spot does half the work. The three main zones cover most families, but some sessions call for something else: less wind, fewer people, greener light, or simply a place that means something to your family.
Each location below is somewhere I actually shoot, with a map so you can see exactly where we would meet.
The promenade runs flat along the Atlantic for kilometres — lawns, palm trees and the sea wall, with Lion’s Head behind you and open ocean in front. It’s the practical choice for families staying in the City Bowl or on the Atlantic Seaboard: no long drive, easy access, pram-friendly, and plenty of room for kids to run.
Late afternoon gives the softest light, and the promenade’s everyday energy — walkers, bicycles, sea air — keeps the photos relaxed rather than posed.
Kirstenbosch itself doesn’t allow family shoots — but around the corner, off Kirstenbosch Drive in Bishopscourt, is a public forest I actually prefer. It feels more natural than a manicured garden: tall trees, soft filtered light, no permits and no queues. I’ve shot family sessions here and it’s my first recommendation when a family wants green and shade instead of beach and wind.
Mid-morning is the sweet spot, when the light comes through the canopy — and it’s the most weather-proof location on this page.
A small, sheltered beach on the Atlantic side — giant granite boulders, white sand and a mountain amphitheatre rising straight behind the bay. It’s quieter and wilder than Camps Bay, which suits families who want the ocean without the promenade behind it.
The boulders give kids something real to do and give the photos natural texture. Parking is tight in season, so we plan the timing around it.
One of Cape Town’s hidden gems — a wide, unspoilt beach with Chapman’s Peak in the distance and rugged rocks along the shoreline. It’s so long it never feels busy, which makes it the pick for big families and multi-generation groups: space to walk, play and spread out.
Some of my favourite family portraits have come from Noordhoek — starting relaxed at the family’s beach house, then out onto the sand as the light drops.
Near the end of the peninsula, with a working-village feel: milkwood trees, long stretches of beach and the Slangkop lighthouse standing over it all. It’s a longer drive from town — and that’s exactly why families choose it. The photos don’t look like everyone else’s.
I’ve photographed family reunions here — relatives scattered across the world, all in Cape Town at the same time for once. The unhurried setting suits exactly that.
A public park on the Onder-Papegaaiberg side of Stellenbosch — open grass, mature trees and mountain views back toward the town. Easy parking, flat and pram-friendly, with none of the wind that can complicate a beach session.
A quiet stretch along the Eerste River on the eastern side of Stellenbosch, close to Eersterivier Park. Water, reeds and tree cover give a softer, more intimate backdrop than the open Winelands estates.
A neighbourhood park on the Eerste River, a short drive from the town centre. Open lawns and river frontage make it a practical, low-key option for a relaxed family session close to Stellenbosch itself.
Open farmland just outside Klapmuts, about 10km north of Stellenbosch town — wide skies, working farm scenery and none of the crowds you get closer to town. Worth the extra drive if you want a rural, uncluttered backdrop.
These spots sit outside my three main zones, so some involve a longer drive. If a travel fee applies to your location, I’ll tell you upfront when you book — never after the shoot.
The beaches — Sea Point, Llandudno, Noordhoek and Kommetjie — are at their best in the last two hours before sunset. The forest is the opposite: mid-morning light filtering through the trees, and shelter on windy days.
In summer (November to March) the south-easter picks up in the afternoons. On the beaches we plan around it, exactly as I do in my main zones — and if the forecast turns properly, the forest is the fallback. It doesn’t care what the wind is doing.
Not sure whether one of these or a main zone fits better? Start with the Cape Town family photography guide — it explains the three zones. Or just tell me the feel you’re after and how far you’re willing to drive, and I’ll recommend one.