The boardwalk at Tree Tops Park sits about four feet off the ground, just high enough that you’re shooting at eye level with the cypress canopy instead of looking up at it. That changes everything. The light filters through oak hammocks differently when you’re elevated, and families grouped on those wooden planks get separated from the background in a way that ground-level shots can’t match. Most people walk right past that spot looking for the “scenic overlook,” but the real magic happens on the boardwalk itself around 6:30 PM between November and March.
Davie doesn’t look like the rest of Broward County. You’ve got actual trees here, not just palms planted in parking lot medians. Real shade. Real texture. The western parts of the county still feel rural enough that you can shoot family portraits without a single building in the frame, which is harder to pull off than you’d think this close to Fort Lauderdale.
Tree Tops Park at 3900 SW 100th Ave is the most reliable location for family sessions, but not for the reasons families usually book it. Everyone sees the elevated boardwalks and thinks “cool backdrop.” What they don’t realize is that those boardwalks solve the biggest problem with South Florida photography — you’re shooting in a swamp, and swamps have poor ground-level light. Dense vegetation blocks horizontal light, producing a flat, shadowless look that can make faces disappear.
The boardwalks put you above that problem. The light comes in cleaner. You can position a family of six along the railing with the cypress swamp behind them, and the late afternoon sun will rake across their faces at an angle that actually shows dimension. Parking is free and there’s space for 200+ cars, so you’re not dealing with the usual South Florida lot anxiety. Gates close at 5 PM in winter and 7 PM in summer, which means your timing window shifts with the season. Plan your session for the hour before gate close and you’ll hit golden hour perfectly.
The entry fee is $1.50 per person over age five. Tripods are allowed. Groups larger than fifteen need to call Broward County Parks ahead of time, but most families don’t reach that number unless you’re doing a true multi-generational shoot with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Here’s what nobody tells you about Tree Tops: avoid the main overlook. It faces west, which sounds perfect for sunset shots, but the sun drops behind tree cover early and you lose your light thirty minutes before actual sunset. The interior boardwalk sections that wind through the pine flatwoods stay lit longer because the tree spacing is wider. That’s where you want to be.
Davie Nature Park at 4801 SW 100th Ave costs nothing to enter, and the quality of the backgrounds doesn’t reflect that. The observation tower gives you elevation for group shots, but the real value is the butterfly garden and the shaded picnic areas near the trailhead. Parking is limited, so weekend mornings get tight. Show up before 8 AM or accept that you’re walking from the overflow area.
The five-mile canoe trail doesn’t help much for portraits unless you’re doing something very specific with older kids, but the trails alongside it have a dappled-light situation that works beautifully for candid shots. Families walking, kids running ahead, grandparents pointing at something in the trees — that kind of documentary-style work looks better here than posed groupings.
No permits are required for still photography. Drones are banned, which is fine because drone shots of families standing in a park looking up at a camera rarely look natural.
The butterfly garden is seasonal. Peak activity runs March through October, but that overlaps with South Florida’s wet season, so you’re gambling on afternoon storms. If you book a session here between May and September, have a rain backup plan. The covered picnic pavilions work in a pinch, but the light under a roof is always going to be flat.
Flamingo Gardens at 3750 S Flamingo Rd charges $27.95 per adult and $17.95 per child ages three to twelve. Children under three get in free. That’s real money for a family of five before you’ve paid a photographer, so families usually skip it. But if you want botanical garden backgrounds — orchid houses, avocado groves, the Hardwood Hammock trail — you’re not finding that anywhere else in Davie.
Commercial photography requires a permit that runs over $100, but personal sessions with a hired photographer fall into a gray area. Call ahead and explain what you’re doing. Most of the time they’ll let you shoot as long as you’re not bringing props, staging elaborate setups, or blocking pathways. No tripods indoors. The gazebo near the main garden is the best spot for traditional family groupings, but the light is harsh from 11 AM to 3 PM. Early morning or late afternoon only.
Flamingo Gardens closes at 5 PM daily, which restricts your golden hour options. You’d need to shoot the hour before close and accept that you’re getting late-afternoon light, not true sunset glow. For some families that’s fine — the botanical backgrounds carry the images even without perfect light. For others, Tree Tops makes more sense.
The gardens close on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Plan accordingly if you’re doing holiday family portraits for cards.
Peerspace lists over thirty outdoor locations in Davie, mostly private ranches and fields with tropical gardens. Pricing runs $100 to $300 per hour. You’re paying for privacy and control — no random joggers in the background, no waiting for other families to clear out of your shot, no gate closing times.
The properties along SW 64th Ave tend to have the best light because they’re cleared fields with tree lines on the edges. You get open sky for even light, but you can pull families back into the tree line for depth and separation. Parking is included. Hours are flexible. Book through the app and confirm details with the property owner about setup time and cleanup.
Here’s the trade: private rentals give you control, but they don’t give you the natural, established look of a park that’s been growing for decades. Tree Tops has hundred-year-old oaks. A private ranch has whatever the owner planted five years ago. For some families, that doesn’t matter. For others, it’s the whole point.
Neutral, earthy tones work best in Davie’s green-heavy locations: khakis, soft blues, whites, creams. Families who show up in all black or all bright colors fight with the environment instead of blending into it. The goal is to look like you belong in the setting, not like you’re visiting from a studio.
Layers help because you’ll move between sun and shade. What feels comfortable in full shade at 7 AM will be too warm in direct sun by 7:30. Light cardigans and denim jackets for kids are useful; choose breathable fabrics. South Florida humidity doesn’t care what month it is — you’ll sweat. Plan for it.
Barefoot or minimal shoes look more natural on trails, but watch for roots and cypress knees. Flip-flops photograph poorly. Either commit to barefoot or wear clean, simple shoes that don’t draw attention.
Weekday mornings between Tuesday and Thursday give you the emptiest parks. Weekend sessions mean other families, birthday parties, and people just out for a walk. You’ll spend half your session waiting for backgrounds to clear. If you can swing a weekday, do it.
Book four to six weeks out for fall and winter sessions. That’s peak season for family portraits because the weather cooperates and everyone wants updated photos for holiday cards. Summer sessions happen, but you’re limited to dawn shoots before the heat becomes unbearable and the afternoon storms roll in.
Dry season runs November through April. Expect about three inches of rain per month, temperatures in the low seventies, and consistent light. That’s your window. Wet season from May through October brings daily afternoon storms, 60% humidity, and unpredictable conditions. You can shoot in wet season, but schedule for early morning and accept that plans might change.
Hurricane season peaks June through November. Most years that means nothing for your portrait session, but some years it means everything. Monitor the weather the week before your shoot and have a reschedule plan.
Winter months bring blooming wildflowers and the mildest temperatures. December through March is as close to perfect as South Florida gets for outdoor photography. Summer heat limits you to the hour after sunrise, and even then you’re dealing with sweat and discomfort.
The Davie Rodeo runs February through March and pulls crowds to the area. Parks get busier and parking fills faster. If your session falls during rodeo season, factor in extra travel time and earlier arrival.
Davie gives you options that don’t exist in Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood: real trees, real shade, and locations that don’t scream “South Florida tourist trap.” Tree Tops Park delivers the most consistent results because the boardwalks solve the light problem and the backgrounds have depth. Davie Nature Park works when budget matters and you’re willing to shoot early to avoid crowds. Flamingo Gardens is for families who want botanical beauty and don’t mind paying admission on top of photographer fees.
The light is everything. The location is secondary. A good photographer will make Tree Tops look better than a mediocre photographer will make Flamingo Gardens look. But a good photographer at Tree Tops during golden hour with a family that showed up on time in the right clothes? That’s when you get portraits that don’t look like every other South Florida family session.
If you’re ready to book a session in Davie or want to talk through which location makes sense for your family, give me a call at 954-986-4455. After thirty-five years shooting in South Florida, I can tell you exactly where the light will be at the time you’re planning to shoot and whether your backup plan actually makes sense.
Your South Florida Family Photographer
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