Canvas printing is often used to display family portraits, but some families may want something a little more unusual than the standard images that get used for this purpose. So what are the other options if you don't just want a regular group photo?

It may take a little more effort and expense, but here are some more unusual family portrait ideas you could try - and by incorporating your photography into a fun day out, these images will also hold some lovely memories too.

The UK is full of historical places to visit, which can provide a great backdrop for a more interesting photo. The trick here though is to find a local castle or manor house that offers more than just a walk around the buildings and grounds. Many sites offer regular family days which allow you to immerse yourself in their history - which often includes dressing up in traditional costumes. A family portrait with you all wearing medieval or Victorian dress, for example, is a fun way to get an interesting picture for printing onto canvas. It's worth signing up to mailing lists for places in your area so you'll be given information on when they hold these types of events. Some places even offer this ‘dressing up’ service as standard, but many tend to hold specific events at different times of the year, such as re-enactments and discovery days, where they bring in spare costumes for dressing up and taking part in traditional activities.

Themes parks are also worth checking out for these types of images as some offer different themes for photo opportunities. Even a photo with a mascot can add an extra item of interest into a family photo. If you're taking the kids on holiday to Disneyland Paris or even the original Walt Disney World in Florida, jump at the chance for a photo opportunity with a princess, pirate or cartoon character - these make brilliant prints for your children's bedrooms. Universal Studios will also offer some great photo opportunities too, so keep your camera to hand when you're exploring!

If you'd rather stay closer to home, there are also some fantastic photographic studios scattered around the country which allow you to choose a theme or time in history and offer a massive range of outfits for you to try. They'll take photos for you too, so you can be sure that the whole family feature in the finished piece – and you can ask for digital copies so you can send them off for printing on your preferred canvas size. One example is History Studios, but there are other similar businesses in other areas - a quick Internet search will show you where's closest. You can be a group of gangsters or part of the Wild West for the day - there's so much choice and lots of fun and laugher is guaranteed.