Family photos in Dublin, done the fun way. This is a private, family-friendly photoshoot that moves through classic streets and landmark backdrops, with you able to keep it flexible and pick the look you want. You’ll have Fabrice Jolivet guiding the session, then you get high quality, edited photos emailed to your group.

I especially like the flexibility. You can aim for familiar spots such as Dublin Castle and Temple Bar, or choose locations that fit your family’s style and energy. I also like the pose direction aspect: the session is designed to keep everyone relaxed and looking natural, not stiff.

One thing to plan around: this is weather-dependent. Since you’re outside for parts of the walk and some stops are pubs, crowds and rain can affect how long you want to linger in specific spots.

Key things that make this Dublin photo shoot work

• Private, group-only session (up to 7 people): You’re not sharing your photographer with strangers.
• Edited photos delivered by email: You leave with usable images, not just a “walk and hope” vibe.
• Landmarks plus choice: You can go for famous Dublin scenes or adjust on the spot.
• Family-friendly pacing: The session is built to handle mixed ages and keep kids from melting down.
• A true local-feeling route: The stops flow from classic pubs to major sights like Dublin Castle and City Hall.
• A start-to-finish walk through the center: You’re moving around an easy-to-navigate area rather than doing big transit hops.

How the 1.5-hour photo walk moves through Dublin

This is a private photoshoot for a group of up to 7 people, running about 1 hour 30 minutes. It’s offered in English, and you get a mobile ticket. The tour is also set up so you can work around real family timing: you’re not stuck in a rigid “stand here for 10 minutes” routine.

You’ll start at Stag’s Head (1 Dame Ct, Dublin, D02 TW84) and end around Bank of Ireland (50-55 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 Y754). Because the tour stays near central Dublin, you’ll usually find it easy to get back to your hotel afterward, and it’s near public transportation.

This is also a good “first or second day in Dublin” type of activity. It helps you get your bearings fast—where the major sights sit—and it gives you pictures that feel like Dublin rather than like generic street corners.

Stag’s Head to Dame Tavern: classic Dublin pub interiors, fast warm-ups

Your first major stop is Stag’s Head in Dublin. It’s one of those places where the setting does half the work for photos: the bar area sits inside a Victorian-style interior, and the description of the space highlights stained glass and a richly finished mahogany bar capped with red Connemara marble. At night, it’s described as cosy and glowing; in morning light, stained glass gets bright and soft.

Then you move on to The Dame Tavern, a stop that’s kept simple: it’s a great pub pause. For family photos, these early pub stops matter because they’re a gentle entry point. You’re not instantly dropped in the busiest photo-landmark crowd. You’re easing into the shoot, and the photographer can learn how your group likes to pose.

Practical tip: bring a plan for layering. Even if Dublin looks mild in the morning, pub interiors can feel cooler than the street. If your kids get fidgety, use the “inside, quick check-in” moments to reset.

Dublin Castle: turning big stone landmarks into real family photos

Dublin Castle is where the shoot earns a “postcard but still you” look. The setting includes centuries of power—described as 700 years as the seat of British rule in Ireland—and you can still see remains tied to earlier structure. The castle building you see today is dated to the mid-1700s.

What makes this stop photo-friendly is that it’s not only exterior. The tour notes key interior spaces such as the Ladies Drawing Room, the Throne Room, and St. Patrick’s Hall. Those names matter because they signal clear architectural features and photo backdrops that feel grand without requiring you to act like you’re in a royal play.

A drawback to consider: Castle interiors can feel more formal and require quieter movement. If you have very young kids, you may want to aim for shorter bursts—one or two “quick pose” moments—then keep the rest of your energy for the street scenes.

Temple Bar: stories baked into the street you’re photographing

Temple Bar is one of Dublin’s most recognizable photo zones, and the tour’s Temple Bar stop is built around why it looks the way it does. The story starts with Sir William Temple, tied to Trinity College and Irish governance, and then moves through how the area developed. One detail that’s useful for understanding the place: the term “Barr” originally meant a raised estuary sandbank, and Temple Bar became a reference point along the river Liffey embankment.

For your photos, this matters because Temple Bar isn’t only about the pub name sign. You’re photographing a district with a reason for its layout and its energy. That gives your pictures more meaning later, especially when you’re looking back and explaining to family who wasn’t there.

Timing matters here. Temple Bar can get crowded fast, and if you’re traveling on a busy evening, you might need a bit more patience to get clean backgrounds. The good news is that this shoot is private, and your photographer can help you adjust your angles and select moments that aren’t a total traffic jam.

City Hall’s echo and architectural details: a quieter “wow” stop

City Hall is the kind of stop that changes your photo set in a good way: you go from pub energy and street noise to an architectural space with built-in character. The building was constructed between 1769 and 1779, and the notes talk about a competition with 62 submissions. The winner was Thomas Cooley, and the description also credits Simon Vierpyl for stonework and Charles Thorpe for gilded work.

One detail I like for photo quality is the ceiling and dome design. The notes describe a stained glass dome that was meant to be left open like the Pantheon concept, but it was covered because Ireland’s weather is wet. That means you get color and light effects without having to gamble on the sky.

Then there’s the “echo” feature: walking around the outer ring creates a distinct echo that was designed to muffle private conversations. For your pictures, that translates into a practical benefit: you can find spots where the space feels cinematic rather than echo-y chaos, and your photographer can position you for cleaner sound and calmer movement.

The Quays Temple Bar and Merchants Arch: when music becomes a photo backdrop

Next you shift back into pub territory with The Quays Temple Bar. The big clue for what to expect is the mention of live Irish traditional music daily, running from 1pm until late. That means your photos may include lively moments—hands gesturing, people leaning into the music, and the “we’re on holiday” mood that shows in faces.

The tour also points out that The Quays has a restaurant upstairs and specific menu items like traditional Irish stew and Dublin coddle. You’re not being required to stop for a meal, but it’s a useful reminder: this is a place where families often want to pause, sit, and snack without losing the vibe of the day.

Then you move to Merchants Arch Bar and Restaurant near Ha’penny Bridge on the southside. The tour’s description emphasizes the building’s heritage as a merchant guild hall and notes it’s one of only two 19th-century guild halls still standing in Dublin. You also get practical cues: it’s beside the bridge, food is served seven days a week, and there can be both traditional music and other music styles depending on the day.

A consideration: places like these can be more visually complex—signage, people, screens for sports. Your photographer’s job here is to make sure your faces stay the focus, not the background clutter.

Zozimus and the Distillery Store: style-forward finishing touches

Toward the end, Zozimus Bar brings a different look to your photo set. Instead of “historic pub,” it’s described as a design-led space: hand crafted wooden structures, elaborate glass structures, free hanging lights, and a mix of indoor and outdoor areas. If your family wants variety—something modern and different from stone-and-pub Dublin—this stop helps.

Finally, the Distillery Store is described as a whiskey bar and off-licence with a large collection of rare and collectible whiskeys, plus tastings for both beginners and connoisseurs. It also mentions cigars, handcrafted pipes, Irish gin, and poitín. For a family shoot, you don’t have to turn this into a tasting stop. Think of it as a “finish line” location for photos with a distinct atmosphere, especially for teens and adults.

Practical tip: if you’re traveling with younger kids, agree with your photographer ahead of time on where you want photos to happen in these busier drink-focused venues—quick shots near the entrance or toward quieter corners.

Price and value: $264.34 for up to 7 people

The price is $264.34 per group, up to 7 people, for about 1 hour 30 minutes. That means the value math changes a lot depending on your group size. With a family of five or seven, you’re paying less per person than many one-on-one city photo shoots would cost in a major capital.

What you’re really paying for is more than the act of taking photos. You’re paying for:

• A private photographer to manage the whole group
• Flexibility to follow your preferred photo locations
• Edited, high quality photos emailed to you afterward
• A guided route through recognizable Dublin scenes (not random wandering)

One review also mentioned receiving photos in about three days. Delivery timing can vary, but that’s a good sign that you don’t have to wait weeks for your holiday memories.

What you should do before booking to get the best results

You’ll get the best outcome if you treat this like a “photo shoot plan,” not just a walk.

Here are a few things that help:

• Decide your vibe first. Are you after classic Dublin landmark photos, or do you want street-and-pub fun? You can do both, but clarity helps the photographer steer poses and angles.
• Pick a couple of must-have locations. Dublin Castle and Temple Bar are obvious anchors, but you may also want one calmer “breather” stop for kids.
• Dress for movement. You’ll be walking between stops, and you’ll want clothes that don’t fight wind, rain, or quick seating inside pubs.
• Bring small “kid sanity” items. Water, a snack, and a quick activity keep energy stable between photo sets.
• Be ready to adjust. This tour requires good weather, so have a backup mindset if it’s rainy or if crowds are heavy in the Temple Bar area.

Also, since it’s private, don’t be shy about asking for specific group shots: everyone looking at the camera, grandparents with grandkids, teens doing a more candid pose, and a couple of “just adults” frames.

Should you book this Dublin family photo shoot?

If you want photos that feel like Dublin and like your actual family, I think this is a strong choice. It’s especially worth booking if:

• You have kids or mixed ages and want someone to guide poses without stress
• You want a private experience rather than competing with other couples
• You care about getting edited photos afterward, delivered straight to email
• You like the idea of combining major sights like Dublin Castle with pub-area atmosphere

The main reasons I’d hesitate are practical: if your travel dates are very rainy, you may risk schedule disruption because the experience requires good weather. And if your group hates busy pub areas, you’ll want to lean on the Castle and quieter architectural stops.

Overall, it’s a nice value when you price it per group, and the stops are varied enough that your final gallery doesn’t feel repetitive. For families who want “cherished memories in every photo,” this is a very sensible way to spend 90 minutes in Dublin.

FAQ

How long is the private Dublin family photoshoot?

It runs for about 1 hour 30 minutes.

What’s included in the experience?

You get a private, family-friendly photoshoot around Dublin with a photographer, and you receive high quality, edited photos sent to your email.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at The Stag’s Head (1 Dame Ct, Dublin, D02 TW84) and ends at Bank of Ireland (50-55 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 Y754).

Is this a private tour or do I share with others?

This is private. Only your group will participate.

What language is the tour offered in?

The experience is offered in English.

Do I need good weather?

Yes. The experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Can I cancel and get a refund?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.