If you want great photos, be they of individuals, a couple on their wedding day or of a family, it can be all too easy to ignore the backdrop and think only of the people who are in the picture.

However, that would be to fail to do justice to the wonderful choice of superb backgrounds that exist across the south and east of England, both urban and rural.

Indeed, anyone using a family photographer in Cambridgeshire to get that memorable image has a huge array of great options.

For those who want a cityscape, where could be better than Cambridge itself, with all its historic buildings and timeless atmosphere? Whether King’s College or the tree-lined walkway of Jesus Green, the city itself has more than enough grand and evocative sites.

Of course, the grandest building of all in the county is arguably Ely Cathedral, while there are any other grand churches like St Andrews at Sutton-in-the-Isle. If there is a wedding in the offing taking place at one of the county’s many stunning churches, this is even better.

Other grand buildings include Great Chishill Windmill, Wimpole Hall or Houghton Mill.

Outside of Cambridge and other towns and cities like Peterborough – itself home to a fine cathedral – the options include not just backdrops dominated by an individual building but either more rural sites or a spot in the country where a prominent building, such as Ely Cathedral, is there in the background.

This particularly works with riverside scenery, where the beauty of a natural watercourse combines with boats and bridges to convey a sense of peace, charm and wonder – a great place for a family gathering.

For the truly rural option, there are many woods, fens and riversides to choose from, beautiful places for walking as well as photography. Often the best setting is one where plenty of prominence is given to the broad expanse of the sky, highlighting, rather than hiding, the flat landscape and absence of hills.

Quite simply, Cambridgeshire has a wonderful array of locations for a set-piece photograph, promising a wonderful background to memorable pictures.