How to Display Your Family Photos: Making the Most of Your Professional Photo Session
You’ve just wrapped up a beautiful lifestyle family photo session. You felt the sunshine on your skin, laughed with your kids, and maybe even cried a little. Your gallery arrives and your heart swells—these are your people, your story, your love captured. But then… what next?
Too often, our most treasured images end up forgotten on a hard drive or tucked away in an online gallery. But your family photos are meant to be seen, felt, and lived with—not hidden in the cloud.
Here’s how to make the most of your professional family photos and turn them into meaningful pieces of your everyday life.
1.Start With Intention
Before you choose frames or decide on wall space, pause and ask: What do I want to feel when I walk past these photos?
Maybe it’s the joyful chaos of your toddlers in the kitchen, the quiet bond between siblings, or that split second when everyone’s laughing at once. Let that feeling guide your choices.
2.Choose Prints You Can Touch
Digital galleries are convenient, but nothing compares to holding a printed photo in your hand. Print your family photos through your photographer or a trusted lab—they’ll be color-accurate, timeless, and high quality.
Options to consider:
Heirloom albums for coffee tables or bedtime story moments
Fine art prints to frame and hang
Gift prints for grandparents and loved ones
Matted prints in a keepsake box for a tactile, rotating display
3.Create a Photo Wall That Tells a Story
One of the most powerful ways to display your family photos is through a gallery wall. Whether it’s a grid of matching frames or a more organic arrangement, a gallery wall becomes a visual narrative of your family’s journey.
Pro tips:
Mix black-and-white with color for depth and warmth
Vary the scale—include one large anchor image with smaller supporting prints
Let your lifestyle photos breathe; whitespace can be just as important as the images themselves
4.Think Beyond the Wall
Not all photos need to be framed! Here are a few creative ways to bring your session into everyday life:
Printed calendars with a photo for each month
Photo magnets on the fridge
Custom linen albums for your bookshelf
Display ledges where you can easily swap prints as your kids grow
5.Rotate with the Seasons
As your family grows and changes, so can your displays. Consider refreshing your frames each season with newer photos or rotating in moments that match the time of year. (That summer barefoot photo in the creek might be perfect for June… and come fall, maybe it’s cuddles in the leaves.)
6.Let Your Kids See Themselves
There’s something deeply affirming for children when they see themselves in photos around the house. It’s a reminder that they belong, that they are loved, and that their story matters. Whether it’s in their bedrooms or a hallway, let them be part of the visual narrative, too.
7.Make Display Part of the Process
When you book your professional photo session, talk with your photographer about how you’d like to use the images afterward. A good family photographer will help guide you through printing options, wall mockups, and what will work best for your space and style.
Final Thought: These Images Are Your Legacy
Displaying your family photos isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. It’s about weaving your story into the everyday moments: the morning coffee, the hallway sprint, the quiet exhale at the end of the day. Your photos are a living, breathing part of your family’s home. Let them be seen.
Hello there and thank you for stopping by! I’m Katrina, the heartbeat behind Fifty Two Hundred Photo + Film, in Durham, North Carolina. I specialize in capturing meaningful and precious memories for remarkable families in North Carolina. I hope you enjoyed this story I shared today and if you are interested in learning more about The Time Capsule membership, or let’s connect. Not quite ready to connect, but you would like to follow along the journey? Follow me on Instagram and let’s be friends!
Katrina is a family photographer and family filmmaker in Durham, North Carolina. She offers lifestyle newborn photography, family photography and family videography which focuses on capturing authentic and honest moments for families. Her clients love that not only do they get digital files from their session but artwork to display in their home. She is happy to custom albums so you can revisit your favorite memories for years to come! Be sure to check out the Adobe partnership to see Katrina sharing her knowledge on capturing magical light to highlight the essence of each family.
Want an easy way to make something beautiful out of all your phone photos and videos? Learn more about the Time Capsule Membership here.