Family Photography — Indoors or Outdoors? How to Choose
Updated 27 October 2026
Should a family shoot happen indoors or outdoors? It is one of the questions I am asked most often as a family photographer in Cape Town. The short answer: it depends on your children’s ages, the season and what you want the photographs to feel like. Here is how I help families decide.
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Not sure which suits your family? Tell me your children’s ages and your home, and I will suggest the best option. View packages and pricing.
Get in touch: +27 82 556 7427 · info@riekertcloete.com
Outdoors: Light, Space and Place
Most of my family sessions are on location, and there are good reasons for that. Natural light is softer and more flattering than any artificial setup, especially in the last hour before sunset. Outdoors, children can run, climb and explore, which means the photographs show them being themselves instead of waiting for instructions. And Cape Town gives you backdrops no studio can match: Table Mountain, empty beaches, forests and vineyards.
- Best for: toddlers and active children, teenagers who dislike posing, families who want a sense of place.
- Watch out for: wind on the coast, midday harshness, and crowds at popular beaches in December.
See my guide to family photography locations in Cape Town for places and what each one offers.
At Home: Comfort and Everyday Life
With newborns and small babies, it is not always practical to go out. Photographing at home lets me capture your family in its everyday routine — the reading corner, the kitchen counter, the bed everyone piles onto on a Saturday morning. Years from now, the house itself becomes part of the memory.
- Best for: newborns and babies, families with very young children, grandparents who find walking difficult, and rainy days.
- Watch out for: limited light. A room with a large window makes a big difference, so I look at the space in advance.
For newborn and baby sessions see my newborn and baby rates.
What About a Studio?
A studio gives you controlled lighting and a plain background. What it cannot give you is the setting, the changing light or the space for children to move freely. For families who want photographs that feel like them, I find a location, or home, tells the story better — which is why my family sessions are not studio-based.
The Best of Both: Start at Home, Finish Outside
You do not have to choose one. Some of my favourite sessions begin at the family home — or a holiday house — and walk down to the beach or into the forest. For one Noordhoek family with children now in their twenties, we started at their beach house and moved to the sand. You get the personal element of home and the light and scenery of outdoors, without driving anywhere with tired children.
How to Choose
- Newborn or baby: at home.
- Toddlers and young children: outdoors, close to the car, or at home if they need a nap nearby.
- Teenagers and young adults: forests and vineyards, where posing feels less forced.
- Grandparents joining: easy-access locations or home; see photographing big family groups.
- Winter and rainy weather: home, or wait for a gap between cold fronts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if it rains on the day of the shoot?
Cape Town weather is changeable, so Riekert Cloete Photography watches the forecast closely and we agree a plan together before the day. One option is to move the session indoors: photographing at home suits rainy days and lets me capture your family in its everyday routine, such as the reading corner, the kitchen counter or the bed everyone piles onto on a Saturday morning. Limited light is the thing to watch for indoors, so I look at the space in advance, and a room with a large window makes a big difference. Another option is a combined session, starting at home and finishing outside if the weather clears, which gives you the personal element of home and the light and scenery of outdoors. Tell me your preferences and we will decide together.
Do you shoot in a studio?
My family sessions are on location or at your home, not in a studio. A studio gives you controlled lighting and a plain background. What it cannot give you is the setting, the changing light or the space for children to move freely. For families who want photographs that feel like them, I find that a location, or your home, tells your family’s story better than a plain backdrop. Outdoors, natural light is softer and more flattering than any artificial setup, and children can run, climb and explore, so the photographs show them being themselves instead of waiting for instructions. At home, the house itself becomes part of the memory. Tell Riekert Cloete Photography about your family and where you would like to be photographed, and I will suggest the best option.
Is a home session suitable for older children?
Yes, though many families with older children prefer the freedom of the outdoors. Teenagers who dislike posing often do better outside, where there is space to move and no sense of waiting for instructions. A combined session, home first and then outside, works well: for one Noordhoek family with children now in their twenties, we started at their beach house and moved to the sand, which gave them the personal element of home and the light and scenery of outdoors without driving anywhere. If you are not sure which suits your family, tell Riekert Cloete Photography your children’s ages and your home and I will suggest the best option.
Which is better for photographs of a big family?
Outdoors, in a spot with easy access and shade. A big family needs space to gather and move, and outdoors that space is available without anyone being squeezed into a room. Easy access matters for grandparents and anyone who finds walking difficult, and shade helps everyone feel comfortable while the group is arranged. Watch out for wind on the coast, harsh midday light and crowds at popular beaches in December, and plan the time of day with Riekert Cloete Photography to avoid them. Read my tips on photographing big family groups. For everything else, including what to wear, timing and preparing children, see my complete guide to family photography in Cape Town, or read why family photographs matter.
For everything else — what to wear, timing and preparing children — see my complete guide to family photography in Cape Town, or read why family photographs matter.
Ready to plan your family shoot? Tell me about your family and where you would like to be photographed.
Riekert Cloete · Cape Town Family Photographer
+27 82 556 7427 · info@riekertcloete.com · WhatsApp
100+ Google reviews · 12+ years in Cape Town
Family photography · Packages & pricing · Portfolio