Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoots


Book an Edinburgh vacation family photo shoot and create a photographic journal of your Edinburgh adventure.


Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_Edinburgh Castle_Ali Jay Photography_0020.jpg

Edinburgh has an unbelievable number of beautiful buildings and vistas, I love taking people around the city and telling them the things I’ve learnt about the city over the years. I capture the adventures as we go and create a journalistic record of the day.

I’m not a tour guide but I share the things I know as we go around and I usually finish a family shoot near an ice cream shop or a playpark. I keep things moving and fun.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_Edinburgh Castle_1_Ali Jay Photography_0019.jpg

The Castle

Did you know the famous castle sits on a volcanic plug and has secret tunnels running beneath it?

It looks down at the city from it’s very impressive defensive position and looks different from each side.

I know a number of places where you can get a great view. One is near a playpark and the other is near some great pubs. Both have ice cream nearby so it’s a great place to finish your shoot whether you’re family group or an adult group.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_Edinburgh Festival_Ali Jay Photography_0007.jpg

The Edinburgh Festival

During the Edinburgh festival nothing surprises me, it’s bonkers.

There are street entertainers everywhere, performances in every space across the city and the whole city is just buzzing.

It’s crammed with people so it’s not a good time to try and get pictures without people in but it’s very fun to capture kids enjoying the atmosphere and a great time to visit.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_The Royal Mile_Ali Jay Photography_0006.jpg

The Royal Mile

The Royal Mile has some beautiful views up and down it and many of the most historic & famous buildings are on it or just off it.

At the top you have the castle and at the bottom you have the infamous Scottish Parliament which went hundred’s of millions over budget. It’s worth a visit, I think it’s like marmite, your either love it or hate it!

Beside the parliament you have Holyrood Palace, Dynamic Earth & you can trek up Arthur’s Seat to get some great views over the city.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_St Giles Cathedral_Ali Jay Photography_0001.jpg

St. Giles Cathedral

The crown of St. Giles is visible from much of Edinburgh.

If you stop to admire it, BEWARE!

There is a heart mosaic called the Hearth of Midlothian just outside and it’s traditional to spit on it for good luck. I’m not sure I get this tradition as it was actually a place people spat to show disdain for the executions that took place in the tollbooth which was demolished in 1817.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_The Old Town_Ali Jay Photography_0005.jpg

Unposed & All Inclusive

As you can probably tell I like people to have fun during my photo shoots, I don’t want it to feel like you’re being dragged around and made to pose.

I take lots of candid photos and encourage kids to explore and play.

My photo shoots are also all inclusive as I don’t like hidden costs so you get plenty time (2 hours), all the images as printable files and a voucher to buy prints if you wish.

For prices, click the link below.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_Unposed and Natural_Ali Jay Photography_0011.jpg

I love to capture the city but I also want to capture you enjoying time together.

With Hiba & her family, we explored a park in the centre.

She was visiting from Dubai and she wanted some greenery in her photos to capture the greenery of Scotland. As a Scot I definitely take this for granted!

I’m open to your ideas so please get in touch if you have any questions, let me know what you would like to see and I can plan a route for you.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_Edinburgh Graveyards Harry Potter_Ali Jay Photography_0012.jpg

Edinburgh’s Spooky Graveyards

If you like Harry Potter, ghosts or stories of grave robbing you can explore some of Edinburgh’s many graveyards.

Greyfriars is the most famous and has many of the names from Harry Potter novels on the stones including; Tom Riddle, MacGonagall, Moody & Severus. This is also the site of the famous story of Greyfriars Bobby, the little Skye Terrier who guarded his owners grave for 14 years in the 1800’s.

My favourite is St. Cuthbert’s Kirkyard which sits below the castle and is full of stories of warfare and body snatching. These days it’s a pretty wildlife haven within the city centre.

Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot_Prints & Albums_s_Ali Jay Photography_0021.jpg

Family Heirlooms

You can print your images yourself but you’ll also get a voucher towards prints so why not ask me to create a special book of memories in a beautiful fine art album. I can organise overseas shipping for you and they’ll be much better quality that you get on the high street.

Click the button to view the print brochure.

Get In Touch

If you’re interested in an Edinburgh Vacation Family Photo Shoot, fill in my wee form for more info :-)

Previous
Previous

Wedding Venues Edinburgh - The City Chambers

Next
Next

Old Course Hotel Weddings - St. Andrews