You may not believe it, but this was the first time this family of five had ever had family photos taken. They requested Spring wildflowers, so we met out at the Southwest Greenway (part of the Mueller Park development).
If you’ve never had a family photo session yourself, here’s how my workflow usually goes – with each family photo session, I like to do a mix of posed and more casual shots.
I also want to make sure each child gets their time to shine. All three kids were great sports to climb into the tall grass for their individual portraits.
I like to get different combos of family members.
And capture those sweet and silly in-between moments as well.
And if you have a toddler who doesn’t want to sit still for very long, I have solutions. One idea – toss him up in the air…
Another possibility, put him on dad’s shoulders…
Or mom’s back…
Or tickle his feet…
He’ll let you know when he’s done.
To keep everyone happy, I like to give the kids a chance to stretch their legs…
Then Mom and Dad can get get a moment to themselves.
To round everyone back up, it’s always good to add more snuggles.
And if it’s the very end of the session, I’m not too proud to pretend to trip and fall backwards in the grass to get some real laughs.
And that’s a wrap!
1. How do you know Stephanie Friedman Photography?
I know Stephanie through our children’s school. (Edit: We’ll miss you all when you move! – Stephanie)
2. What was your favorite part of your photo session?
Stephanie did all the work finding the perfect location with fields of beautiful wildflowers. I loved how well she did with my kids above all else. She knew how to make it fun and keep them involved. She was patient and kind and had great methods to settle down the rugrats. (Edit: All three were such troopers, not every kid wants to climb into grass as tall as they are – Stephanie)
3. What advice would you give to other families planning a photo session?
Let Stephanie take the lead. Don’t worry about your kids looking or doing the right pose. Relax. The best photos happen when you aren’t focused on the fact you’re taking photos. (Edit: Yes! The in-between moments are always my favorites – Stephanie)
What are my favorite locations for Spring Family Photo Sessions in Austin?
Hint: They involve wildflowers.
If you’re looking for a spot for your own family photos – and remembering that wildflower crops can vary from year to year, going from North to South, here’s where I recommend:
1. Balcones District Park
12017 Amherst Dr, Austin, TX 78759
My favorite bluebonnet spot in North Austin is Balcones District Park. You can find a large field that runs against Duval Rd. as well as bluebonnets near the playground closer to Amherst Dr.
Parking: yes, parking lot
Bathrooms: yes
Kid and pet-friendly: yes
2. Northwest Park
7000 Ardath St, Austin, TX 78757
On the Shoal Creek side of this park, you can find bluebonnets and then mixed wildflowers growing under and around the metal bridge throughout the Spring season.
Parking: yes, lot and street
Bathrooms: yes
Kid and pet-friendly: yes
3. St. Edwards Park
7301 Spicewood Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78759
In Northwest Austin – you can visit St. Edward’s Park. Along their trails you can find large patches of wildflowers – peaking closer to May.
Parking: yes
Bathrooms: no
Kid and pet-friendly: yes
4. Southwest Greenway at Mueller Development
2501 Tom Miller St, Austin, TX 78723
The Southwest Greenway at Mueller has restored Texas blackland prairie that incorporates native plants in partnership with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Parking: street
Bathrooms: yes but not very close
Kid and pet-friendly: yes
5. Lady Bird Lake
Hike and Bike Trail – park near Austin High School (1715 Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703)
My favorite bluebonnet spot farther South is along the hike & bike trail. If you park near Austin High School and walk on the hike & bike trail towards the baseball fields – just beyond the baseball fields, you’ll find a large patch of wildflowers.
Parking: yes, school lot on weekends or pay for street parking during the week
Bathrooms: yes
Kid and pet-friendly: yes
6. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Ave, Austin, TX 78739
Multiple spots at this botanical garden can provide beautiful backdrops for your photos. The Wildflower Center has an admission fee as well as a photography fee if you’re hiring a professional. Make sure to read their guidelines here. They also have a Bluebonnet FAQ.
Parking: yes
Bathrooms: yes
Kid and pet-friendly: kids – yes; pets – service animals only
7. Circle C Metropolitan Park
6301 W Slaughter Ln, Austin, TX 78739
In the same neck of the woods as the Wildflower Center down South – you can visit the Circle C Metropolitan Park. Along their trails you can find large patches of bluebonnets.
Parking: yes
Bathrooms: yes, near the sports fields
Kid and pet-friendly: yes
Other good locations for Spring wildflowers (some outside of Austin) include:
Brushy Creek Park – 3300 Brushy Creek Rd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Old Settlers Park (by the intramural fields) – 3300 E Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665
McKinney Falls State Park – 5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin, TX 78744
Pace Bend Park – 2011 Pace Bend Rd N, Spicewood, TX 78669
Reading this family’s answers to my client questionnaire, it said that their youngest was “in a phase of refusing to have her picture taken.” And when I got to their house, she was hiding under a table. But once we got started, and I got to meet all her stuffed animals, we had a blast. Lots of giggles and climbing and booty-shaking.
Please enjoy this sneak peek of their Family Portrait session. To see all the photos and purchase prints from their session (password protected) click HERE.
===== stephanie friedman. austin family photography. your life. close-up =====
I’ve been lucky to take this family’s photos for the last six years. For this spring, we went to the Mueller area and hung around various walls, stairways, bamboo and doors 🙂 There was snuggling, climbing, piggy back rides and running (all despite these kiddos full day of park play and swimming).
Please enjoy this sneak peek of their Spring Portrait session. To see all the photos and purchase prints from their session click HERE.
===== stephanie friedman. austin family photography. your life. close-up =====
Took Max & Miles location scouting at Northwest Park to check out their back field of wildflowers this weekend. The boys enjoyed running over the metal bridge, checking out all the different colors and types of flowers back there (and were open to being bribed when I requested they sit still for a few pics as well). 😉
===== stephanie friedman. austin family photography. your life. close-up =====
