The best parks for family photos in Queens, NYC
Queens has more usable outdoor photography locations than most people give it credit for. Grace has been shooting in the borough since 2018 and has strong opinions about which parks work for which kinds of sessions. Here is the honest breakdown.
Astoria Park: the reliable workhorse
Astoria Park is Grace's most-used location, and for good reason. The waterfront path along the East River has open sky, good directional light in the late afternoon, and enough visual variety. Trees, grass, the Hell Gate Bridge in the background. That a single session can produce images that look like they were taken in three different spots.
The park gets busy on weekend mornings, which is worth factoring into session timing. Weekday late-afternoon slots are quieter and the light is better anyway.
Socrates Sculpture Park: for families who want something different
Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City is a less obvious choice, but Grace uses it regularly for families who want something with more visual texture. The rotating sculpture installations change the backdrop every few months, which means no two sessions there look quite the same.
The park is open year-round and has a large open lawn that works well for toddlers who need room to run. The industrial waterfront backdrop is not for everyone, but for families who like a less pastoral look, it is genuinely interesting.
Kissena Park: the underrated option
Kissena Park in Flushing is further east than Grace usually travels for a standard session, but it is worth the trip for families in that part of Queens. The lake and the surrounding tree cover create a quieter, more enclosed feel than Astoria Park, which some families prefer.
Autumn is the best time to shoot at Kissena. The tree canopy turns in mid-to-late October and the light filtering through the leaves in the late afternoon is reliably beautiful.
If you are not sure which location fits your family's style, Grace is happy to talk through options on a quick call before you book. She has shot in most of the borough's parks and has a clear sense of what works where.