Family photoshoot in Phu Quoc at the Radisson Blu Hotel

Phu Quoc Island is one of the most popular destinations for family vacations in Vietnam. Warm sea, palm trees, beachfront hotels, and a feeling of “true tropics” without the hustle and bustle of Nha Trang, Phuket, or Pattaya. For families with children, it's the ideal setting: everything is close by, peaceful, and easy to understand. The service and infrastructure are of a high standard.

The family arrives on the island, and once the initial shock of the heat has passed, the children have mastered the pool, and the parents have finally had a good night's sleep, the question arises: “What is there to do on Phu Quoc besides the beach and restaurants?”

And this is where my part of the story begins. I am a photographer in Phu Quoc who lives here all year round, and one of my favorite shoots here is family photo sessions.

When choosing Phu Quoc for a family vacation, here's what you get. Let me tell you a little about the local specifics. The local sea is calm, without constant huge waves, and the entrance to the water is gentle with a long sandy embankment. This is very convenient with a child, as you can safely play in the sea with your little one without fear of sudden depths. The climate is warm all year round, so the sea is pleasant for swimming. Many hotels are designed for families, so they have all the necessary amenities for a peaceful family vacation.

For parents, this means less stress and logistics — no need to drive your child halfway across town to get to a decent beach, no need to think about where to go for an evening stroll. For children, it means more freedom — they can run around the hotel grounds, splash in the water, play in the sand, and explore the paths in the garden.

And against this backdrop, a family photo shoot in Fukuoka becomes a logical activity. You're walking around the grounds anyway, you're going to the beach at sunset anyway. The only difference is that there is someone next to you who knows how to turn all this into a beautiful story in photographs.

On Phu Quoc Island, children feel comfortable and parents feel at ease.

Family photo shoot in Phu Quoc

Many people arrive with the idea: “We'll take a couple of family photos on our phone, and that'll be enough.” In practice, someone is always out of the frame.

A family photo shoot in Vietnam on Phu Quoc Island fits easily into your vacation as another enjoyable part of the program.

We often start the photo shoot right from your room or villa. If you are staying at the Radisson Blu Phu Quoc, for example, you can easily start from the villa grounds. There are already stylish tropical interiors and exteriors that look very beautiful in photos. Children feel more confident in familiar surroundings, get used to the photographer more quickly, and the whole shoot goes more smoothly and naturally.

In essence, you are not “coming to a photo shoot” as an event with strict rules, but simply spending time together, and I accompany you with my camera.

Why Radisson Blu Phu Quoc is a great place for family photoshoots

The Radisson Blu hotel has several features that are ideal for a family photo shoot. These include a private beach with a long coastline and soft sand, a spacious green area with palm trees and neat paths, and several areas by the pools where you can take resort-style photos.

At sunset, the sun really does set directly into the sea, rather than disappearing behind the mountains. Even if the sunset is not the brightest on the evening of the shoot, the soft, warm light in the evening makes the picture cinematic. During one family photo session, we usually manage to show you in all these settings: in the greenery, by the pool, by the water, against the backdrop of the sky, which gradually changes color.

It also helps that everything is within walking distance.

First, we choose the time of shooting.

The most popular request is sunset, which is understandable: everyone wants photos with an orange-pink sky.

But as a photographer in Phu Quoc, I really love the afternoon, from around 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., as well as the morning hours from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Photos taken at this time are especially vivid and bright, with that very “bounty” atmosphere that you love so much.

I don't usually recommend the midday heat—it's too hot, the sand is too hot, children get tired quickly, and after twenty minutes everyone wants to be in the shade and nothing else.

Most often, we start shooting in a quieter part of the hotel, for example, in the garden among the palm trees. There are fewer people there.

Then we move to the beach. This is where the active part usually begins - children run on the sand, happily climb into the water, jump over the waves (even if they are very small), shout, and laugh. Parents toss their little ones in the air, spin them around in their arms, and play together. I hardly ever ask you to just stand and look at the camera: it's much more important to capture your natural reactions and habitual gestures.

At the end, we take a few neat family portraits, close-ups, and a couple of shots of just the parents.

How a family photoshoot goes

Why do you need a professional photo shoot when you have a phone?

"Why do you need a photographer if everyone has a good phone these days?" Everyone does have a phone. But here's what usually happens: Mom is always out of frame because she's the "main family photographer," Dad is in the shot at an odd angle with his mouth half-open, the child has his eyes closed in half the shots, and you captured the most beautiful sky when the lens was covered in splashes and fingerprints.

When you're vacationing in Phu Quoc, especially at a hotel like the Radisson Blu, you're surrounded by a ready-made movie-ready setting—palm trees, sea, sunset, neat paths, and pale sand. It's a shame to bring home a bunch of selfies but not have a single good family story.

A professional family photosession in Phu Quoc is when you're all together in photos, in the right light and from the right angle, which accentuates your best features (beautifies) rather than distorts them. The photos are carefully edited, without harsh filters or unnecessary people in the background. These photos will stay with you not only in your phone's memory, but also as a photo book, prints, or a large wall hanging.

My clients often later admit that the reactions of friends and family to these photos are a bonus. "Look at you relaxing," "Just like in an ad," "I can't believe this is really you and not a picture from a magazine." You not only relaxed, but also beautifully captured this period of your life for those back home.

A little about preparation: without fanaticism, but with intelligence

A little preparation for a family photo shoot at the seaside significantly improves the results, and it's not at all difficult.

Light and natural shades look best on the beach and in tropical gardens – white, beige, pastels, soft blues, and muted greens. They don't clash with nature, but rather complement it. Overly bright, bold colors and oversized logos on T-shirts usually steal the show, and then, when you look at the photo, you see the words on the chests rather than the faces. It looks beautiful in the frame if the whole family wears coordinated clothing in color or style. Then you look like a team, not strangers. For children, comfort is paramount. If the shorts don't pinch, the dress doesn't itch, and nothing slips down, half the battle is already won.

Bring water, a small snack, and a favorite toy if the child is attached to one. And most importantly, don't turn the photo shoot into an obedience test. It's better to say, "We're going for a walk, play, and take photos," than to promise that "if you stand still, it'll all be over quickly."

Your mental attitude is also very important. If you view the shoot as a pleasant stroll with the added bonus of beautiful photos, the atmosphere will be relaxed and easygoing. If you view it as "an important, tense moment where everyone has to be perfect," you'll be nervous, and the kids will pick up on that immediately.

In short, relax and enjoy the time spent with your family.

How to book a family photo session in Phu Quoc

If you are planning a vacation in Phu Quoc and wondering how to fill your days besides the sea and excursions, a family photo shoot at the Radisson Blu Phu Quoc or another hotel on the island could be one of the most memorable parts of your trip.

You spend time together, walk around the beautiful grounds, enjoy the sea and the sunset, and at the same time, a visual story of your vacation is created. And not an abstract one, but a very concrete one — you, your children, your laughter, your vacation in the tropics. A so-called lifestyle photo shoot about your family vacation.

To sign up for a family photo shoot, just choose a convenient date and contact me in any way—via the form on the website, messenger, or social networks. Then we will choose the best time together, discuss locations in your hotel, I will advise you on clothing and preparation, and answer all your questions.

Your task is simple: arrive, relax, and spend time with your family. Mine is to make sure that in a year, five years, or ten years, you can open these photos and feel the warm wind, soft sand, and that feeling again: “Wow, we had such a great vacation in Fukuoka back then.”