Updated October 13, 2026
The best family photos at the Eiffel Tower are not the ones where everyone stands and smiles at the camera. They are the ones where everyone is effortlessly themselves. As a Paris family photographer, I photographed the Doyle family at a café, on the streets near the tower and in the Champ de Mars.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
This Is What Family Looks Like
The thing that I LOVE about this whole session is that everyone is effortless themselves. No gimmicks. No putting on a fake smile. The parents make their kids crack up and the girls do the same to their parents. This is what family looks like.
A Café, the Streets and the Champ de Mars
We started at a café table, where nobody has to pose, then walked toward the Eiffel Tower and into the tree-lined alleys of the Champ de Mars. Starting somewhere relaxed is one of the easiest ways to get natural photos of older kids.
A Round of Applause for the Outfit Colors
P.S. Can we get a round of applause for the colors in their outfits?
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Bright blue, pink and black: every person stands out, and together they look like a family. Read how to choose the perfect outfits for your photo session and our what to wear guide, and see my favorite pieces on ShopMy.
Want family photos with no fake smiles?
That is the only kind we make. Family sessions with our English-speaking team start at €150, and you see your photos the same day in our Saint-Germain studio.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
How to Get Relaxed Family Photos in Paris
- Start with something to do. A café, a walk, a game.
- Make each other laugh. Parents cracking up their kids, and the other way around, is the whole point.
- Choose happy colors.
- Go early, just after sunrise, when the Eiffel Tower area is quiet.
Read more: how to pose families naturally, 3 gorgeous locations around the Eiffel Tower, and the 7 best cafés around the Eiffel Tower. Or visit our Paris family photographer page.
Eiffel Tower Family Photoshoot Questions
The Champ de Mars, with its tree-lined alleys, the streets beside it, and Trocadéro across the river.
Do something together instead of posing: sit at a café, walk, and make each other laugh.
Bright, happy colors that work together. This family wore blue, pink and black.
Yes. It is a relaxed way to begin, especially with older kids.
“She did a fantastic job wrangling our group of 8 (4 teenagers) in 26 degree weather! My mother was beyond delighted when she received the canvas and book from our trip.”
Melanie L., family photoshoot
5-star Google review
About the author
Katie Donnelly, Paris Photographer
Katie Donnelly is an American photographer who opened her Paris studio in 2013 and was voted Best Portrait Photographer in Paris in 2017. She and her English-speaking team photograph families, couples and solo travelers at sunrise, so visitors go home with relaxed, real portraits instead of rushed selfies. Meet Katie and the team.
Ready to Book Your Paris Photoshoot?
Everyone effortlessly themselves. That is the portrait worth hanging.
- When: Mornings, just after sunrise, when the city is quiet
- Who: Families, couples, engagements and proposals, and solo travelers, with an English-speaking team
- Your photos: Viewed the same day at our studio in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Session fee: From €150. Inquire for our full price list.
Tell us your dates and we will help you plan the rest.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
