But just because they're traditional subjects doesn't mean that you can't take creative photos. No matter how conventional the scene is, you can enhance it with good planning, good lighting, and careful framing. The Jefferson Memorial, for example, is a lot more striking when the cherry trees are in bloom. Many monuments look much better at night, when they're dramatically lit by spotlights and few people are in the scene.
Family members personalize any picture.
But along with your family, hundreds of other families come to enjoy the sights. As the photographer, you can do two things to help keep them out of your picture, or at least make them less obvious. One approach is to shoot your subject from a low angle to minimize a problem background.