Do you have active kids who won’t want to sit still for family photos? (Honestly: this is most kids). If so, you may want to consider Bull Creek for your photo session. We will take some standing and sitting shots – but there are also lots of fun places to explore and things to do there. And if the kids are happy, then the parents are happy and then the photographer is happy. 🙂
Top 10 Things to Do at Bull Creek with Kids
(during a family photo session)
Name as many Pokemon characters as you can in 1 minute (this is a game I play to get those sitting down shots)
2. Run ahead of your parents (which can also lead to running back to your parents until you tire of this game)
3. Throw stones in the water
4. Look for animals in the water
5. Look thoughtful while eating mango snacks (choice of snack may vary 😉 )
6. Use the remote controlled fart machine (another way to get those posed shots)
7. Climb rocks
8. Climb fences
9. Look for fossils in the rocks
10. Snuggle with mom or dad
So if this location sounds like a good fit, keep it in mind for your own family photo session. Bull Creek works well all year long.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and sneak peeks from their family photo session. To see all the (password protected) images from this session, visit the gallery HERE.
1. How do you know Stephanie Friedman Photography?
I met Stephanie when our children were in pre-k together. During the classroom’s holiday parties, Stephanie set up a photo booth, and took amazing photos of my kids (being their rambunctious selves!) This summer, we spent so many days and evenings at the neighborhood pool together, and again, she snapped so many great photos of the kids splashing around. I am so excited to see how our family photos turn out.
2. What was your favorite part of your photo session?
We really enjoyed hanging out at the park together and watching the boys play. I also had a bit of fun picking out everyone’s outfits!
3. What advice would you give to other families planning a photo session?
Try and relax- our kids were not on their best behavior and didn’t listen very well, which stressed me and my husband out a bit. We should have had a few better bribes. In hindsight, I wish we had been a little more easy going. I am sure the kids fed a bit off our negative energy. I am guessing the best pictures will be when we let the kids be themselves.
4. Anything else you’d like to add?
October weather in Texas is so unpredictable! We really got lucky! Also, Stephanie is so sweet and creative. She has young kids herself, so really knows how to engage the littles, and has tons of patience!
You may recognize some of these spots on Rock Rose Ave. at the Domain from my location scouting blog post.
I also want to show that these backgrounds work just as well for a family photo session. Especially a fun-loving, laid-back family like these three 🙂
We played by the plants…
… and checked out the Wonder Bar’s seasonal window display…
… as well as enjoyed their rainbow tile work.
And even though it was crowded on a Saturday night, we still found spaces to claim as our own.
Plus if you wear a sweater for your family photos when it’s over 90 degrees, there might be one last stop you make before you go home.
Please enjoy this sneak peek from their family photo session. You can see the rest of the images at their (password protected) gallery HERE.
1. How do you know Stephanie Friedman Photography?
We know Stephanie through our son, who attended Montessori school with her boys. My son was three the first year she did a photo session with us, and it was a huge help that she had children the same age and understood the unpredictability of toddlers, and now of 8/9 year olds – it is just a different kind of unpredictability! I am always grateful for Steph’s laid-back approach to her photo sessions and her sense of humor.
2. What was your favorite part of your photo session?Â
Although I’d been to the new Rock Rose section of the Domain quite a few times, it was a great location for a photo shoot, and I was able to appreciate it in a new light! The brightly colored walls and varying backgrounds made it a great choice for our location this year.
3. What advice would you give to other families planning a photo session?
Be natural and laugh when Stephanie is taking your pictures (even if your child is whining about the heat or just generally driving you nuts). Laughter makes for genuine smiles!Â
4. Anything else you’d like to add?
We love Stephanie Friedman Photography!!
If you’re interested in your own family photo session, please contact me below:
For this family, I made sure to scout out Bull Creek before their session since it’s been so dry (until recently). But if you squint, the dead brown leaves and golden hour light kind of resemble fall colors 😉
Communication
From my client questionnaire, I knew this family had recently moved, and the mom wanted a few pics at their new house before we went to the park.
Keep the Kids Happy
Whether it’s asking them silly questions or letting them take the lead on exploring, I always like to collaborate on ideas during a family photo session.
Keep the Parents Relaxed
I find that giving specific posing instructions makes some families feel more comfortable in front of the camera. And my favorite is just letting the kids love on their parents – that usually gets my favorite images from the whole shoot.
And once we get the posed shots….
… I always leave time to play around.
And one extra fun thing from this family’s photo session – from chatting at the park, the Dad and I realized that we used to work together at the Daily Texan back in the mid-90s. And even flew to Boulder, CO together to cover a UT Football game (him writing / me shooting it). Thank you to online archives for this photographic evidence from 1996!
Please enjoy this sneak peek of this family’s photo session. To see all the files, visit their (password protected) online gallery HERE.
1. How do you know Stephanie Friedman Photography?
Stephanie/s kids and our kids have been at the same school and even same grade. Over the years, I have seen Stephanie’s photographs because of her willingness to help out and generously donate her time and talents to the school. I knew it would be easy and stress free to use her for our family photo session since my kids know her already. Plus, I always love her work.
Check out PreK Sam at my first school photo booth “The Bubbles in the bubbles”
2. What was your favorite part of your photo session?
It was a beautiful evening at Bull Creek. I loved being down there in the “golden hour” as Stephanie called it. Plus, Stephanie was super patient and willing to humor my kids with their ideas as they were excited to explore.
3. What advice would you give to other families planning a photo session?
Stay calm. Don’t let it stress you out and try to have fun with it. Picking outfits can seem so difficult (for me) but as long as you stay relatively simple, it wasn’t too hard.
4. Anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks for taking the time and being so pleasant to work with. I know it was so hot, but you made it enjoyable and really took the time to make sure you got what you needed.
If you’d like to book your own family photo session this year, contact me below:
Have you heard of the Flower Vault? It’s a temporary art installation full of fake flowers. They have one location in San Antonio and just opened a second spot in Austin at the Domain this season.
With eight flowery backgrounds for October and plans to swap in more holiday themed settings in November/December, it’s a fun spot to explore and be photographed in.
Kids 10 and under are free with an adult ticket (cost is $20/adult).
Swinging and dancing are encouraged.
If you’d like your own family portrait session in this location, check out my blog post with details or just view the available mini-session dates for October on Calendly.
Cost
It’s a $50 deposit (includes tickets for two adults) to save your date/time
Remainder of fee due at your session: $275.
It’s a very fun place to play! To see the rest of the photos from this session, check out the (password protected) full gallery HERE.
1. How do you know Stephanie Friedman Photography?
Stephanie has been a co-worker of mine for many years. She also took pictures of my oldest when she was 1. That was 7 years ago!
2. What was your favorite part of your photo session?
The venue was really cool and engaging for the girls. But mostly it was how great Stephanie was at putting the girls at ease and also letting them have fun. They immediately felt comfortable with her.
3. What advice would you give to other families planning a photo session?
Don’t be pressured to get that perfectly-posed shot. Often the best pictures are the candid ones when you didn’t even realize you were being photographed. I think kids need to be captured when they are having fun!
4. Anything else you’d like to add?
My kids are much more likely to participate when I bribe them with ice cream after the shoot. 🙂
If you’d like to book a family photo this season (not necessarily at the Flower Vault), you can see my remaining dates in 2019 HERE. You can also contact me below:
