Check out our blog!
MENU

Using Environmental Elements in Storytelling Children’s Portraits

By: Always Remember Photography LLC

When the Environment Becomes Part of the Story

This post is part of a four-part storytelling series exploring how meaningful children’s portraits are thoughtfully created — from the smallest intentional details to the finished artwork families treasure for generations. Each chapter looks at a different part of the process, revealing how small props, environment, props and the perfect location come together to create portraits in my signature storybook style.  

In Part One of this series, I shared how small, intentional props can add meaning and depth to a child’s portrait. In this second part, I’m exploring how environmental elements — like tire swings, wooden gates, and fences — shape the story on a larger scale.

Welcome to Week 2 — here’s how the right Environmental Prop help tell the story

A child in red dress sits on a tree stump along a country lane with a wooden fence on both sides.

Using Environmental Props to Tell a Story in Children’s Portraits

In fine art children’s photography, props are not always about what a child is holding.
They’re about what a child is invited to do.

In the portrait above, the simple act of sitting on a weathered tree stump along a quiet country lane becomes part of the story itself. The stump isn’t a “prop” in the traditional sense — it’s an environmental element that invites stillness, imagination, and focus. With her sketchbook resting on her lap, the child naturally settles into the moment, creating a portrait that feels thoughtful and unforced rather than posed.

A thoughtfully chosen environmental element — like this tree stump beside the fence — adds purpose without distraction, gently guiding the scene while allowing the story to unfold on its own.

Many of the families I photograph travel from Mars, Cranberry Township, Wexford, and Fox Chapel for this type of story-driven experience — one that feels organic, intentional, and deeply personal. To find out more visit A Parent’s Guide to Investing in Fine Art Children’s Portraits

Two children in blue playing near a wooden fence in a grassy field for a photo session with Photographer for Wexford and Pittsburgh, Pa

When a “Prop” Is Part of the Environment

In my work, props are often woven directly into the landscape. They aren’t accessories added at the last minute; they’re elements chosen with intention.

In the portrait above, a simple wooden fence and gate become part of a game of hide and seek. The older brother tucks himself just out of sight behind the gate, while the younger runs through it, searching for him — completely absorbed in the moment. The gate isn’t something to pose with; it becomes an entrance, a hiding place, and the spark for connection between them.

When children are invited to play in a familiar way — running, hiding, laughing — those moments are worth capturing. No small prop is needed here. The gate itself becomes the prop, supporting the story without distracting from it.

Child dressed as a fairy in a blue dress and wings, resting against a tree in a n Enchanted Forest

Choosing Natural Environmental Elements With Intention

Not every session needs a traditional prop. Sometimes the most magical stories are already waiting in the landscape around us.

In the portrait above, the tree becomes a safe haven for a little fairy at rest. Tucked against its roots, she finds a place where she can feel protected and free to sleep. The tree isn’t just part of the setting — it becomes shelter while suggesting a world where fairies truly exist.

The goal is never to create a scene, but to uncover the magic that’s already there.

 
CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION

Less About Styling, More About Experience

For parents, this approach means your child isn’t asked to pose or perform. Instead, they’re invited into an experience — one where play, curiosity, and connection lead the way.

Rather than directing every movement, I create space for interaction and allow the story to unfold naturally. In the portrait above, the tire swing and ladder serve as environmental elements that encourage exploration and play. And if you look closely, you’ll notice a small detail — a slingshot tucked into the younger boy’s back pocket. That simple, personal item quietly adds to the story, blending with the environment rather than distracting from it.

It’s the interaction between the two brothers — their shared play, expressions, and connection — that brings the portrait to life.

This is where fine art portraiture becomes more than a photograph. It becomes a memory.

Child sitting on an antique bed during a fine art studio Photography session near Wexford, Pa

A Story Waiting to Be Told

Continue the Story

• Begin at the beginning: Using Small Props to Tell a Story in Children’s Portraits

• You’re here: When the Environment Becomes Part of the Story

• Next in the series: Why Studio Props Matter in Storytelling Portraits
(Coming Soon)

• Explore:

A Parent’s Guide to Investing in Fine Art Children’s Portraits

If you’d love to create your child’s story as a piece of art — one filled with imagination, connection, and meaning — I’d love to hear from you.

Contact Me to begin your child’s Fine Art portrait experience.

Previous Post Next Post

Archive

2026 Jan Feb
2025 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2024 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Dec
2023 May Sep

SIGN UP TO FOLLOW MY BLOGS

Thank you for contacting us!

We have received your message and will contact you shortly

View Receipt View Submission
Love learning about storytelling through photography?  Sign up to follow my Blog!

Please provide your email below to get the latest Blog updates from me!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for contacting us!

We have received your message and will contact you shortly

View Submission
Leave this field empty
CLOSE
Check out our blog!