photography - Stephanie Friedman

Great Hills Country Club – Extended Family Photo Session

by admin | Dec 19, 2024 | extended family, photography

50th Birthday Party | Extended Family Photo Session

The last time I photographed this family, we were at the Murals on Justin Lane. This year, they had extended family members visiting Austin for a special milestone birthday party in December.

So, they decided to organize their holiday family photos as a pre-party event.

We made sure to get lots of photos before the rest of the party guests arrived at the Great Hills Country Club.

Tips for an Extended Family Photo Session at Great Hills Country Club:

PERMISSION: This club is open to Members Only, so make sure your family has permission for a photo session to occur.
LOCATIONS: Since it was late in the day, we were able to take some photos on the golf course without getting in the way of active golfers. We also used the open courtyard off their party room as a secondary location.
AMENITIES: Since the club was open when we were taking photos, if anyone needed a restroom or a place to sit when they weren’t being photographed, there were lots of options. We also make use of the tennis court for a few photos of their nephew who’s on his high school tennis team.
OUTFITS: With multiple families involved, coordinated outfits bring a cohesive look to the photos. Aim for complementary colors and avoid overly busy patterns. This family chose a holiday seasonal palette which worked beautifully against the natural and architectural features of Great Hills Country Club.
SHOT LIST: Make a list of all the preferred family combinations in order of importance before the session date. A detailed plan ensures everyone stays on the same page and maximizes time spent during the session.

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Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Family or Extended Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Interested in Booking a Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Great Hills Country Club – Extended Family Photo Session

Dec 19, 2024

50th Birthday Party | Extended Family Photo Session The last time I photographed this family, we were at the Murals on Justin Lane. This year, they had extended family members visiting Austin for a special milestone birthday party in December. So, they decided to...

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How to Pose Young Kids and Babies – Family Photo Session at Bull Creek Park

by admin | Dec 12, 2024 | advice / tips, family, photography

Top 10 Tips for Posing Toddlers and Babies | Austin Family Photo Session

Family photo sessions are a wonderful way to freeze time, but when photographing toddlers and young babies, it can feel like you’re running around in circles.

I use these Top 10 Tips below to help with shorter attention spans and very active kids during family photo sessions.

1. Choose the Right Time of Day

Pick your session time mindfully. I offer sessions during the “golden hours” — early morning or late afternoon — when the light is soft and flattering. Choose the time that best aligns with your toddler’s and baby’s nap and feeding schedules to get the best moods.

2. Start with Family Group Shots

I like to start my family sessions with the classic posed family group shot. It’s easiest to start standing with the parents holding the children. I might ask the toddler to yell out something silly like “CHICKEN BUTT” or “DINOSAUR FART” to get some natural smiles.

3. Encourage Playful Interaction

Toddlers are happiest when they’re allowed to play. I encourage them to scout out their surroundings, smell flowers, or climb a tree. These playful moments make the session more fun for them and less stressful for the parents.

4. Keep it Simple for Babies

For young babies, focus on poses that showcase their sweetness and connection with family. I also like to make sure to get detail shots that help capture this moment in time.

5. Make It Fun

Turn the session into a series of games to keep toddlers excited and engaged. We might play peekaboo, pretend to be a flying superhero or hunt for the best rocks or leaves.

6. Up in the Air = Smiles

If you want natural smiles and giggles, send the kids “up in the air.” They can also be spun in a circle or hung upside down.

7. Embrace their Personalities

Remember, kids are kids! This is the time to let their true quirks and personalities shine in the photos.

8. Be Flexible and Follow Their Lead

Kids have their own timelines, and that’s okay. If a toddler wants to go run off and explore or a baby needs a quick snack, go with the flow. That gives you time to get moments with just the parents alone.

9. Explore your Surroundings

If you’re at a park, explore that park. We sent leaves floating down the current and threw rocks in the creek at Bull Creek Park.

10. Keep it Moving with Prompts

Toddlers have short attention spans, so be ready to capture the moment as soon as you tell them the prompt. Keep your instructions simple: “Mom and Dad walk and swing your child”

I find focusing on prompts and games makes more a more successful family photo session that trying to do specific poses with really young kids.

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Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Interested in Booking a Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Brothers at the Blanton – Family Photo Session

by admin | Dec 2, 2024 | family, photography

Flying high at the Blanton Art Museum Courtyard | Austin Family Photo Session

Last year I met this family at the Domain (Rock Rose Avenue area) for photos and ice cream.

This year, the plan was the Blanton Museum Courtyard and soccer photos as a treat at the end.

FYI: the Museum is closed on Mondays so that’s the day they chose for their session. It was truly less crowded than my normal weekend sessions I’ve had at that location.

Tips for a Family Photo Session at the Blanton Museum:

PARKING: I always recommend paying for parking at the Brazos Garage on MLK and then walking over.
LOCATIONS: There are so many intersesting and colorful backgrounds in this one small area. I love that you can see the Texas Capitol peeking behind their heads when they are seated under the Petals sculptures. Don’t forget about the alphabet mural on the backside of the Museum as well. *If you want to take any photos inside the Museum itself, permission is required.
WARDROBE: You’ll be surrounded by some bright, vivid colors, so keep that in mind when planning your outfits.
SCHEDULE: Double check the Blanton’s Events page and the University of Texas Football schedule to make sure you won’t have conflicts

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Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Interested in Booking a Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Bull Creek Park – Family Photo Session

by admin | Dec 2, 2024 | family, photography

Bull Creek District Park | Austin Family Photo Session

I met this family of four at Bull Creek park one fall afternoon for photos. I’m always happy when families are willing to wade in the creek at the end of their session.

Luckily the water levels were good, and it wasn’t too cold outside that day. The boys were happy to sit on fences and climb on rocks and go exploring.

Tips for a Family Photo Session at Bull Creek District Park in Austin:

Bring a towel and water shoes if you don’t mind going in the Creek for some photos and want to dry off afterwards.
The Park restroom is currently under contruction (as of November 2024), so be forewarned
This location works well for an early morning or a sunset session.
This spot is very popular for all types of photo sessions, so don’t be surprised to see other photographer’s working there.
Parking – it’s never happened to me or my clients (knock on wood), but I’ve seen lots of reports of car windows being smashed and broken into in their parking lot – so be cautious

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Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Interested in Booking a Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Seaholm District – Senior + Family Photos

by admin | Dec 1, 2024 | photography, seniors

Downtown Austin Senior + Family Photos | Austin Senior Photographer

This Class of 2025 LASA High School Senior picked the Seaholm District in Downtown Austin for their photo session location. They wanted a mixture of urban and nature for their backgrounds.

Their mom also wanted to add on a family mini-session since it’d been too long since they’d had professional photos taken as a whole family.

The family mini-session photos can be interspersed during the whole Senior session or happen just at the end of the session. For this group, it worked out to do the majority of family photos in the middle.

If you live in Austin and are also interested in having your Senior Photo Session in the Seaholm area, check out my tips below.

Tips for Senior & Family Photo Sessions in the Seaholm District:

It can get crowded with other photo sessions at peak times (weekend evenings in Spring and Fall) – so pick off times if possible.
Garage parking is available at the Austin Central Library or Trader Joe’s nearby (Trader Joe’s will validate your parking with purchase)
Have a spotter when you’re taking photos on the Butterfly Bridge and be ready to get out of the way fast if cars are coming
Bring props that help highlight your Senior Year experience (ex. Letter jacket, photo of you from kindergarden, etc.)
If you need a place to change or restrooms, the Austin Central Library is right there (if your session is during their open hours)
Make a plan to eat downtown after your session; there are lots of great restaurants within walking distance

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Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Senior photography session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

What prompted you to have this photo session? This was a senior photo session, and we took advantage of the opportunity to add a family photo session, since it had been a while.
What do you plan to do with your digital photos? Share with family and friends, use for senior events.
How did you choose your location for your session? Our senior wanted a blend of urban and nature in their shots, and we loved the recognizable spaces and butterfly bridge.
What advice would you give to others planning a similar Senior + Family photo session? No special tips – Stephanie gave great guidance!
Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? Stephanie has so many great traits: good communication, easy booking, very organized…and then once we arrived, she was super warm and friendly and helpful, which made the whole experience easy and pleasant.

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

Contact Me

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A Light Collab Studio – Extended Family Photo Session

by admin | Nov 23, 2024 | extended family, photography

Holidays in the Studio | Extended Family Photo Session

This Extended Family wanted their holiday photos taken together. So, we met up at the ALightCollab Studio in Pflugerville, Texas, which was decked out for Christmas.

Tips for an Extended Family Photo Session at the ALightCollab Photo Studio:

COMFORT: This indoor studio has plenty of seating, so if you’re rotating family members in and out of shots, the people “off-set” have comfortable places to sit and chat together, either downstairs or upstairs.
AMENITIES: This studio also has a kitchen stocked with snacks and drinks for any hungry teenagers you may have on hand. There’s also a restroom for changing outfits.
LIGHTING: You can rent continuous lighting with your studio fee. Or you have plenty of space to bring in your own studio lights. With the tall ceilings, I could use two seven-foot umbrellas with no problems.
DISTANCE: If your clients are based in North Austin, this studio is convenient to travel to with plenty of easy parking out front.
POSING: My top tip for posing large groups is to try and create triangles with positions so your eye moves around the frame. Also – to make sure there are points of connection between each family member.
HOLIDAY SETS: Keep an eye out for their holiday sets (which change every year). Those give you multiple backdrops to use when posing. But they also always have the rolling neutral wall you can use as well.

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Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.