Top 8 Outdoor Family Photoshoot Locations in Singapore

Top 8 locations For Outdoor Family Photoshoots

I can’t help but appreciate the vast amount of greenery in the country as I have lived in this great city since 2008.

From the time you land in Singapore Changi Airport travelling towards the city. The rows and rows of trees along the highway; along the roads, pavements. You are bound to see greenery everywhere. Even when you are on the high rise having a birds eye view from the top of the buildings, one would usually see the canopy of green and the hidden pavements and roads underneath. Singapore’s vision of building a city in a garden is truly realised!

There are so much transformation in Singapore that we need to keep up on where to do outdoor photoshoots because the landscape changes all the time.

For those of you who only got to know about Tomato Photo, Tomato Photo started in 2008 from a tiny little corner of a bedroom and primarily photographed kids and families outdoors or at clients’ home. It was a year later in 2009 that we had a studio. We are still shooting as many outdoor and studio shoots today.

Why Do Outdoor Photoshoots?

Many clients who visit Singapore temporarily as tourists or work/live here for a short period of time would usually opt for outdoor photoshoots to have some form of memories of Singapore captured during their short stay in Singapore.

The other group of clients who opt for outdoor photoshoots are usually families who had done multiple studio milestone sessions in the past when their kids were younger. Now that the kids are bigger and more independent, parents would like to have pictures taken in the environment that the kids frequent and love roaming around their favourite parks during their childhood.

Whilst there has been an increasing number of purpose built outdoor playgrounds around Singapore, the most requested photoshoot locations are still in the iconic landmarks in Singapore. So here, we have round up the Top 8 Most Requested Outdoor Locations For Family Photoshoots.

1. Singapore Botanic Gardens

Singapore Botanic Gardens is located in the heart of the city and is Singapore’re first UNESCO Heritage Site. The gardens is 82 hectares and stretches all the way from Tanglin Road to Bukit Timah Road. The lush greenery within its grounds and its historic buildings and structures (eg. The Band Stand) was the iconic location that many would love to be associated with in their wedding, couple or family portraits. That said, as the Botanic Gardens covers a vast area with multiple car parks and entrances, the photoshoots are often carried out in areas that is best suited for the family in question. We work with clients who are mobility challenged; clients with young kids, bigger extended families to arrive at a location best suited to their needs and wants. More images from Botanic Gardens can be viewed HERE.

2. Emerald Hill Conservation Area

The Conservation Area of Emerald Hill is located just behind the shopping strip of Orchard Road. These charming Shophouses with peranakan tlles, ornate doors and metal grills were former homes to the wealthy peranakan community. Further, as we mentioned previously, Singapore is a city within a garden. You would still be able to capture some greenery within this area.

These intricate details add a different dimension and colours to the portraits. More images HERE.

3. East Coast Park

East Coast Park is a rather special area with loads of mature greenery and a long stretch of beach to add. For those who loves the water AND the greenery, this is the perfect place for a family photoshoot. Enjoy breakfast or dinner after your shoot at the various establishments along the park for a complete day of making special memories with your family.

Do visit our East Coast Park Photo Shoot Gallery for more sample images.

4. Fort Canning Park

Fort Canning Park is a hilltop landmark located at the central part of Singapore. Its historical past is evident from the structures found in the park. These structures together with the greenery forms a picture perfect backdrop for the old meets new kind of portrait for your family. More Fort Canning Images HERE.

5. Gardens By the Bay – Main Gardens

Gardens By The Bay Main Gardens is located next to Marina Bay Sands. The first impression of some are these looks like the set of the movie Avartar set within lush greenery just outside of the city centre.

It is a popular area for family who love a mix of cityscape with greenery in the images as well as the iconic Supertree.

There are so many areas within Garden By the Bay Main Gardens, all you need to do is to meet us there and we will bring you to our favorite locations to scenic place that is also quiet.

See more images from the Garden By The Bay Main Gardens’ Gallery

Based on 337 reviews
Sicha Garg
Sicha Garg
February 22, 2023.
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Eileen Lee
Eileen Lee
February 22, 2023.
Thank you Hart for the wonderful job done! Despite our tight schedule, you managed to capture all our beautiful moments together. Making us feel relaxed and comfortable, your cool calm personality was great! We enjoyed it and will come back! Highly recommended. (1st photoshoot taken 2yrs ago). Thank you Hart for the wonderful sessions with you. This is our second time coming back to you and we fully enjoyed it. As always, you make us comfortable, at ease and bring out the best in us. Truly professional, caring, patient and easy going. Hart delivers his works promptly and he goes the extra mile to ensure things are in order. We would highly recommend Hart's services to anyone looking for a remarkable piece of work, capturing the great moments and memories of a life time. Thank you for everything Hart!
Rosalind Ng
Rosalind Ng
February 21, 2023.
Top 3 things: 1. Engaging fun and stress free session with Hart taking lead 2. Top quality and fast production with flexible packages 3. Personalised artistic direction
Thein Min
Thein Min
February 20, 2023.
Photographer is skilful and professional. Expect a little bit costly, overall is satisfied.
Amelia Yee
Amelia Yee
February 19, 2023.
Read about good review of Tomato Photo Studio online and have recently engaged their services for our 3-generation family shoot. Love the professionalism and photography skills of Hart. We are a big group of 17 people, with elderlies of 70+ years (one in wheelchair) to toddlers of 3 & 4 years old. Hart skillfully arranged the shoot of our family under 2 hours, especially in taming my ultra active niece, who can't stay still for long. Great customer service by Hart too as he is very accommodative to our changing requests in photos selection for our family album! Would recommend Hart if you are looking for a pleasant family photo shoot experience!
Jeslyn Chua
Jeslyn Chua
February 9, 2023.
A very delightful experience with Hart. He’s super patient with our baby. He was a little cranky at the initial stage of the shoot and Hart even fed and burped him. I can see that he’s super experience in handling newborns. Probably more experience than my nanny! Throughout the shoot, Hart ensured my baby felt comfortable and he was also quick in taking the shots, wasting no time in case the little one wakes up. Hart also shared some tips in handling newborns with us, which was super useful especially when we are first time parents. Last but not least, the photos turned out well and I really love his style. Probably would psycho my family to do a family shoot with him next time!
Angela Huang
Angela Huang
January 26, 2023.
Great place for taking family photos. Nice ambience and the photographer (Hart) is very professional and friendly with young toddler and elderly. The deliverables are of high quality too.
Constance Lee
Constance Lee
January 16, 2023.
My family had our photos taken and Hart has made our experience so memorable and fun. Hart has a warm and lively nature which made the photo shoot so dynamic and fun. The photos turned out amazing and my family and I could not recommend Hart more!
Cherie Chua
Cherie Chua
January 6, 2023.
Hart was the perfect photographer for our family portrait. He has so much patience with our young kids and we were impressed that he could bond with them in such a short time and keep them cheerful throughout the process. Not only the kids, he made the shoot enjoyable for us as parents too! What we also appreciate was his professional skills and versatile personality which produced many natural moments we loved! The photos say it all. Thanks to Hart!
Joan Choo
Joan Choo
January 6, 2023.
Hart came highly recommended by a friend and overall we had a great experience! Our newborn photoshoot was arranged at very short notice and the whole process was efficient and fuss-free. Hart handled our baby well and managed to capture some of the transient cheeky expressions she made! Editing of photos was also very prompt and we received the photos the next day!

6. Gardens By The Bay – East (Tg Rhu)

For families who love water, lush greenery park, expansive skies as well as the iconic Singapore city skyline backdrop.

A short 5 minutes walk from the carpark/taxi drop off will bring your family to this beautiful outdoor location. You can choose to have the shoot done early morning or late in the afternoon and you will be rewarded with different looks to the same location.

Here is the link to more images taken at Garden By the Bay East.

7. Gardens By the Bay – Dome

Love outdoors while having AC on all the way? The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest Dome within Garden By Bay is the answer. Your session in a cool climate while having all the outdoor feel to it.

What a better way to have this done. We understand the dome can be crowded sometimes, we do know some areas within the dome that we can still get relatively quiet areas without people getting in your shot.

Visit our Gallery Here for more images capture within the dome.

8. Marina Bay Promenade

Marina Promenade is one of the best location for morning session. It is quiet, beautiful city skyline, as well as the comfort of the cool ac within the MBS Shoppes.

We often focus on the outdoors and then duck in for some cool temperature at the end.

Want to see more? Visit our Marina Bay Sand Promenade Gallery.

9. Home or Studio (Bonus)

I hear you. I know outdoor location is fun and unique and all that. Some of you just can’t survive the heat, and it is totally understandable.

For those who just sweat out when you step out of the shower and while understand the important of having the images taken. Home shoot or our studio session will be your obvious choice.

Let’s see why our purpose built studio is worthy of your consideration.

Our studio is on lift landing level, which is easy for children who is still on stroller, or grandparents who has mobility challenge, there is no stairs to climb and our studio is less then 20 steps away from the lift landing.

Once you step inside the studio, you will be greeted by the cosy and welcoming feeling of architecturally design studio. We have thought of every details from the layout, the flow, the decor, the amenities, the backdrop, the temperature, the scent, etc to fit Hart’s vision of his perfect man-cave… well we mean photo studio.

Here is the link to see what you can achieve in our studio.

10. Koon Seng Road Shophouse (Bonus)

I hear you. I know outdoor family photography location is fun and unique and all that. Throw in some colorful heritage shophouse in the mix, you are in for an unique images for your family.

This stretch of the shophouse is one of the most instagrammable images that you can have for Singapore.

The bonus is, Hart lives just around the corner so he knows the in and out of the places including some interesting area that tourist will often missed.

Hart could capture the genuine smiles and expressions on my kids’ faces, and that was what is important for me. The photo shoot was spontaneous and family-directed, i.e. you get the photos that YOU want.

Denise Rachel Yong
Google Review

Hart took photos of our family recently, and we were so impressed with his great demeanor and artistic eye. He is great with kids, and he even managed to get our 18 month old grumpy baby to crack a few smiles. Each setting he picked for the photos was really lovely. Very happy with our experience!

Lisa Blackard
Google Review

Hart was great on our family photo shoot – we had quite a large crowd to accommodate (with family visiting from overseas etc.) and an 18 month old toddler. As you know, toddlers are never predictable but Hart was excellent working with our daughter and managed to engage with her quickly and kept her “interested” and captured all her many facial expressions. It was a fun session with both an indoor and outdoor shoot and the entire family had fun. The ordering process was also very simple/easy and all online, with the products delivered to your home.

Su Yenn Goh
Facebook Review
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Family Portrait Photography – How Long Can You Procrastinate?

How Often Do You Procrastinate?

Lets face it! Most people put off doing important but non-urgent tasks.  They have the intention to do it! However, when the next important and urgent task pops up and the task at hand gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list!

People are busy these days. Busy with work, home, kids, life, hobbies and the list goes on.

One of the most important thing and never urgent thing to do is to get in the shot with your entire family.

How many occasions have you had time to “stop”? It is unfortunate nowadays that when we “stop”, our phone is right in front of us, busy with learning, news, kay poh someone else’s social media updates and what not. However, only when we really STOP AND LIVE in the present moment with everyone around during major events. Events such as weddings, funeral, milestone birthday lunches or dinners to have some clear space in the head that we suddenly realize people around us.

Parents seems to have aged..

Their hair are turning more silver…

Children seem to grown taller..

Grandparents seems to walk a little slower … talk a lot more or they just become the complete opposite and become really quiet.

When we look into the mirror, we find more train tracks on the face, extra kilo here and there. Well, thats the cruel reality of life.

For family portrait photography, its even easier to put it off as its a big task involving the organisation of many people for the photoshoot and nobody want to go to the trouble. So Why Bother Doing Family Photoshoot?

My Observations

I have been doing charity shoot for Home Nursing Foundation this past week that involve older generation in the community who live all by themselves. No doubt they are self sufficient, but throughout the day, my observation tells me that, they love having people around them. They kept saying:

“Today, I am very happy, because I have all of you all to bring me around, spend time and talking to me.”

If you ask any parents, what matter the most to them, almost always you will hear:

“MY FAMILY is the most important to me!”

All they want to have is your TIME with them. Talking to them, doing something meaningful things with them.

Older generation don’t need much, the thing that they value the most is the photograph of their family together. That worth more than anything to them.

I understand we can’t be with them all the time, with this little photograph, they can certainly relive the moment, you share with them.

Knowing its importance, how long can you procrastinate then?

Tomorrow Never Comes?

There is only right now, the present. Why they call it “The Present” is because only right this second, you are able to do something. Tomorrow, we are lucky when we are given one more day as tomorrow always seems like an elusive time that never really come. So if I tell you that there is Free Beer tomorrow… you better believe me. Because, there will no free beer today.

10 Years?

Majority of the families I photographed recently had their family portrait taken some 10 years ago. Yes! it is a decade.

When I talk to them about what happen in the last 10 years, usually, there are some “regrets” because they say they should have done it earlier. Someone has passed on, someone is terminally ill, someone has moved to different country, etc.

Often, I get ask if I could “photoshop” a person or two in a family photo. It certainly break my heart just to hear it.

It seems like, something this important, tend to be left hanging for 10 years and there you go, that’s 10 years of procrastination. How long have you procrastinate to have yours done? if the answer is this long or longer, maybe, it is time to stop and re-think about getting one done real soon!

3 Years?

Smaller and younger families does their shoot every 18 month to about 3 years depending on the ages of the kids. Usually, they will do one for their own family about 18 months when the children is under 7, but when it comes to grandparents, they tend to include them on every second shoot.

It is amazing with even shorter procrastinating timing, we still have good number of clients who tells us that they should be doing it earlier. So what are you waiting for?

Another baby?

If you are like us when we say we “close shop” with 3 children. It is a good time to plan as an annual thing.

Clients do ask us to send a reminder as they want to do it more often. Majority come back and some will forget, well, I will hear the same old story like the sound of broken record.

No Procrastination – Let’s Plan It Regularly

Having said that, there are also many clients who does their family portraits yearly without fail. They make it as a tradition, one album, one canvas or frame to fill their wall of their ever growing family. As we open 7 days a week, it is never easier to plan something in and we make the process simple for you so you can enjoy while we take care of this important thing for you.

So, Lets look at 2 typical scenarios when planning for a photoshoot. Which one can you relate more?

Scenario 1

1. When was the last time we did our family portrait? – 15 years ago when I graduated.
2. Family Portrait Photography – Is it important? Yes.
3. When Should It Be Done? – Soon
4. How Soon? – When everyone is available?
5. When is that? – Christmas, Hari Raya, Deepavali or Lunar New Year?
6. Oh so and so will be away on these dates? Let’s do it another time? – Ok When?
7. Dad or Mum’s Birthday? or Anniversary? – Ok
8. This year or the next? – Next

Ok let’s set a date and start a WhatsApp group to get this organised. – Perfect!

Scenario 2

1. When was the last time we did our family portrait? – 15 years ago when I graduated.
2. Family Portrait Photography – Is it important? Yes.
3. When Should It Be Done? – ASAP
4. How Soon? – Before grandma/grandad/dad/mum have health issue. Do it when they are all healthy.
5. When is that? – Next Week

Ok, set a date, make sure everyone block this time for the photoshoot.

Reflection

As I turn 40, my mind is occupied with a million things that I sometimes forget to be present. I take it for granted that I will see my family and friends tomorrow, and the day after that and after that… or is it really?

I came home yesterday and learnt about the departure of a friend of mine, whom was around my age. It serves as a wake up call for me to be present, grateful and appreciative of every moment with friends and family!

After many years of photographing families, I’ve encountered families who booked the session but was a day too late for the grandparents; or that there is only a small window of opportunity for the photoshoot to take place in between hospital/doctor visits and visiting family from abroad.

It is difficult to comprehend sometimes, when a family asking for a refund as the shoot they planned will never happen ever again because the main person that they want to be in the photograph is no longer there. This shocks me and sometimes leave me battling with my emotion for hours if not days.

Gift of Time

As I grow older, I come to understand the biggest gift you can give people is not things, but time. It is your time that they want the most… as it is life most expensive commodity, as time is finite.

We live in age of abundance opportunities, abundance of wealth, abundance of knowledge for you to chase but the only wealth that older generation usually speak of is often our time with them.

You see, photographs has a super power that allow time to standstill at the point of time that the image was taken. Your time spent with your family is well recorded, proudly hung on the walls of those who know it matters.

Generation Portrait with your parents and grandparents are not a luxury anymore. It is a necessity. If you have to get something for them, why not something tangible that reminds them of the time you spend with them? It can be a birthday gift for them, it can be an anniversary gift for them, it could be a major milestone gift for them, whatever excuse you need to make up, you know you are giving them something that they will cherish for the rest of their life and also pass on to their grandchildren one day.

So how long would you like to procrastinate? Just how much longer do you want them to wait? They won’t ask, but it would be nice of you to offer them.

So, if you have read until here. Wait No More! Give us a call at 8858 0088 or WhatsApp us to have a chat on how we can make your generation portrait done for your parents.

Hart was lovely with my 3 year old! He was able to capture the expressions and essence of the moment perfectly, and we have not taken any family photos in the last 10 years. He does definitely have his way with kids. Looking forward to the shoot next year!

Anne Lee
Facebook Review, July 2019

Hart personally took photos for my two boys. My older boy doesn’t like strangers and we can never get a proper photo of his beautiful smile. Hart, amazingly, did it! He captured the true essence of the boys’ smiles and every time we look at the photos, they blow us away!
We loved that he was really efficient, we have been to other studios and other photographers that by the time we were only halfway done, the boys are very cranky and we had to end the day. Hart was also really quick in sending us our chosen shots and to say they were beautiful is an understatement!

Lele Ng
Google Review, July 2019

This is my first time taking family portraits with my Grandmother. I am grateful to Hart Tan for capturing many beautiful photos. First, Hart allowed me to change my photoshoot date at late notice as my Grandmother was feeling unwell on our first arranged date. Next, he was competent to coax my Grandmother to smile brightly during the sessions :). Third, he was able to capture beautiful photos of my impatient Grandmother in less than 20 mins. I am highly satisfied! Thank you.

Ivan Lee
Google Review, January 2019

There were about 20 of us. Ages spanned from 98 to 2, members of the family who wanted to play photographer, children who did not want to smile for the camera and tired members of the family from travelling. Yet, Hart took it all in his stride. He was easy going, warm and made everyone feel right at home. He took great natural shots of all of us and we absolutely love love love the photos.

Ren Jong
FB Review
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