Lucky me, this was my second time getting to work with Courtney and her fam this year. We had our session date planned around the blooming of the “Blazing Star” AKA “Purple Gayfeather” out here by the Pinkle Toes Studio and let me tell you, we had it on the books for what seemed like a very, very long time. But of course, wouldn’t you know? This year, we got like 5 branches of these purple flowers and I was so afraid she would be bummed with the turnout.

Okay, maybe it was more than five ;-).

But the girls totally didn’t care. They were waaaaaaay into my chickens.

And making yellow flower bouquets for their mommy.

And just being all-around adorable.

Those three images of the two of them up there? I love, love, love them. Especially when they got photobombed by their girls. Bwa ha ha!

We also got to introduce everyone to the passion vine, which smelled soooooo delightful!

And then, the Texas version of fall (ie. if you don’t have a fall, you make one ;-). My FAV HERE.

I got apples as props for the girls to play with, but I had no idea how much they LOVED apples. They didn’t last very long as they were gobbled up rather quickly.

And, from Courtney:

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… My husband and I have two amazing little girls. Ava, who is 3.5, is our “princess” who loves to play dress up. She Liv just turned 2 and is our little tomboy who is adventurous and loves to climb on anything.
2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? We planned this session close to Liv’s 2 year birthday and are already planning to schedule our next session 🙂
3) Where was your session held and why? We decided to do the session at Michele’s house. She has an amazing property with so many areas to shoot at.
4) What did you like about your session location? It was something different than we have done before and we just loved it out there! It was beautiful and rustic.
5) What was your favorite part of your session? I think my favorite part was when the girls were on the wooden swing. They had been excited about that swing from the moment we got there. The sun was setting at just the right moment and we were just having a good time and laughing.
6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Since working with Michele, I have never been nervous 🙂
7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? As soon as we showed up to Michele’s house, Ava “LOVED” everything about it. She literally kept telling not only Michele that she loved her, but she loved her “puter”, her camera, her house, her car, anything she saw. She was in la-la land and I loved that.
8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? I think Michele does an awesome job at preparing you for your session. I also always talk a lot about the upcoming session and the fun place we are going to go and we talk about what we want to do or see during our session so that once we are there, they are excited about those things.
9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? I absolutely LOVE Michele. As a photographer, I have admired her work and this is now our second time to shoot with her. I always look forward to the session and working with her. My girls are completely at ease and love playing with her. Michele is fun, laid-back and allows my girls to just be themselves and shoots as natural as possible which makes our time together less stressful and fun.
10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? I know years down the road we will enjoy these photos as much if not more than we do today. I hope in years to come, we are sitting around our living room looking through them, laughing and telling stories about how much fun we had.

I’ve been mulling over this post in my head for YEARS (no lie) trying to come up with the a guide to helping families make the most out of their photo session experiences. While editing these images for Kody (a photographer herself!), I realized that her session was one of the BEST examples for what to do to get meaningful, authentic, fun, and relaxed family images. (Kody, I hope you don’t mind being the star student tonight ;-). So here you go…these are my Top Ten Tips to Having a Perfect Family Photo Session (or as close to perfect as you can get):

1. Make it authentic to YOUR family. Kody lives on a farm. They spend most of their days there at home and playing outdoors.  One of her favorite parts of the day is getting dressed with her baby girl and it was very important to her that we captured this memory and this time. These photos are very authentic to her family and I know they will trigger powerful memories for her and her kiddos down the road.

(My favorite image from the “getting ready.” Please have this up somewhere on her wedding day. kthanksbye.)

2. Hold your session in a place that’s meaningful to you…in this case HOME! Truly. Being at home for your session allows us the chance to photograph memories for you and your children that you/they might not even realize until years and years later. Plus, everyone is more comfortable at home and there are usually no surprises (traffic, crowds, closures, etc.). If the kids get hungry, break for a snack (see below). If something spills on an outfit, change clothes. Easy. Peasy.

3. Grown ups should be just as involved in the photos as their children. You can’t expect your kids to take a photo shoot seriously or even want to be a part of it if you’re not willing to do so yourself. I love, love, love that these two are excellent role models for their kiddos for photo sessions (and actually, life in general).

4. Let your kids be. Think for a moment if you had some stranger with a big ol’ camera in your face AND your parents were constantly telling you, “Smile! Smile! No, not that way! A *real* smile!” Would you be able to smile a real smile? Would you want that to last for an HOUR or more?? Probably not. Take a cue from this mommy and daddy and just hang out with your children. Snuggle and play and tickle and be silly and let your actions and love bring out those natural, real, authentic smiles (read: laughter) in your children instead of barking commands or threats or bribes.

5. Go with the flow and let us create together. Yes, it’s important to have an overall vision for your session, but keep it broad enough so that you leave room for you and your photographer to create. Kody did a great job of this, telling me a couple of key moments she wanted captured, but then stepping back and letting me go wherever the kids and the light took us. If we were having to stick with a Pinterest Board of 30 different family poses and five outfit changes and a super detailed shot list, we would never have had the time or been open to seeing amazing photographic opportunities as they played out all on their own.

6. Pad your schedule. While this typically doesn’t apply to a session at home, it is probably a good idea no matter what to simply add about 15 minutes before AND after your scheduled shoot time. SOOOOOO much goes into setting a shoot start time and it is not arbitrary by any stretch of the imagination.  If you’re late to your session (even by just a few minutes) OR if you arrive on time, but you still have to get dressed/put on make-up/eat dinner/knit an afgahan,  that will cause a domino effect and you may miss out on amazing light or amazing temperatures or inadvertently shorten your session time.

Surprisingly, the same principle applies to after your session, too. It’s not a good idea to schedule something right after because #1 everyone is probably going to be tired and hungry and #2 it adds pressure to finish a session exactly at a certain time which can put a damper on creativity.

Once again, these guys get an A+ in this department. Of course, their session ran long because it was soooooooooooo good, but fortunately, they had no where else they had to be…except in bed, which also provided some wonderful photographic moments for us.

7. Dress comfortably and be willing to get dirty. If you’re trying to chase around after your kids in stilettos and your hubby is miserable in a suit and tie in 100 degree weather and your kids are fussy because their clothes are scratchy or uncomfortable…well, it becomes a losing battle trying to keep everyone happy. I totally understand wanting to dress up your family (I definitely do it for my family’s pics), but just try to be reasonable in your choices. Kody did a fantastic job of having everyone look nice, but also feeling comfortable. She let her kids play in the dirt (YES!!!!!!!) and she even got down there herself (DOUBLE YESSSSSSSSSS!!!).  Trust me, her babies are going to CHERISH these images when they get older.

8. Never assume we can just “…Photoshop that out…” (or in ;-). Yes, photographers have tools and tricks to help make images as pleasing as possible, but some things are just not simple fixes or cannot be addressed in 60+ images. If your child gets a boo-boo (especially on the face) right before the session, send your photographer a photo so s/he can decide what to do. If someone cannot make it to your session last minute, let your photographer know, because no, we can’t just Photoshop that person in ;-). If someone is wearing glasses/transition glasses, again, let your photographer know ahead of time so plans can be made. There are a multitude of examples and I can’t possibly name them all, so when in doubt, just talk to your photographer BEFORE the session. Kody totally gets this and there were no Photoshop surprises waiting for me when I arrived at their house (xoxoxoxoxo).

9. Enjoy the experience. It sounds so simple, but when the time comes for your actual photo session, your hard work is already done. It’s the photographer’s turn to take over, so you can just sit back, relax, and gush over your beautiful family. Don’t get upset with your kids if you think they aren’t cooperating. Instead, help your photographer find something that will keep them happy (once again, these parents were wonderful at redirection and keeping the kiddos involved and entertained). Family photos do not have to be a miserable experience for you or your kids and the best way to keep it positive is to be positive yourself. If you are anxious, your kids will pick up on that and become anxious themselves. If you’re calm and having a good time, they will eventually mirror your reactions.

10. Do it again. Children change SOOOOOO quickly and so do the dynamics of your family. Letting 5 years pass without pausing to record this metamorphosis is time lost that doesn’t come back. Yes, we are fortunate to live in a day when we can easily get snapshots with our mobile phones and that’s awesome for getting day-to-day memories captured, but it’s a very different experience allowing a photographer to show you what s/he sees in your family. Family photo sessions are kinda like going to the gym. Sure, it’s tough at first, but once you do it enough, it becomes familiar and a bit easier and more relaxed each time. (Okay, maybe the gym comparison isn’t 100% accurate, ‘cuz yeah, I will never feel relaxed after leaving the gym, but you get the idea 😉

P.S. This family totally gets bonus points for the red hair and freckles ;-).

And finally, from Kody (an amazing photographer herself):

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… My husband and I with our two little red heads are about as goofy as it gets. We love our life out in the farm and cherish the privilege we have to raise our kids in a quiet environment like in the “good ole days.”

2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? This is the third year we’ve used Michele to capture our family. I enjoy the colors of fall and the cooler temperatures so we always try to book in October.

3) Where was your session held and why? At home, we want images that reflect our everyday life.

4) What did you like about your session location? Michele found so many forms of inspiration on our property. I see the homestead as a bit unfinished (as we are still getting the place just right) but she was able to find so many spots with hidden beauty I never would have thought of.

5) What was your favorite part of your session? The end with all of us reading he’d time stories just like we do every night. It’s a special time in our life with the kids this age and I wanted images of this to hold onto when the kids no longer want us reading stories and tucking them into bed.

6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Not at all, Michele is the best at what she does. Being a photographer myself I’m extremely picky when it comes to our images. Michele is the best at genuine moments on camera, crispy clean images and wonderful memories.

7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? Our daughter is going through her becoming independent stage, and fought against every moment of babying we tried to throw her way.

8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? Relax, getting your picture taken is an awkward feeling. But if you just trust Michele and allow yourself to have fun she will make magic happen!

9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? She’s the best at what she does, candid moments with real interactions between family members.

10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? Wow we had a magical childhood on the farm!

I was so. Overwhelmed. They brought me to one of their most favorite places in this world and the beauty of it and all of the picturesque possibilities had me going in 1000 different directions in my mind. SO many things to do! I was telling them it was like one of my recurring nightmares as a photographer…that a location was too inspiring and the sun would set and I wouldn’t have been able to take a single picture.

But of course, I *did* take plenty of pictures that night. And they made it so easy for me. They spend so much time together as a family on/in this river, they were completely at ease. Their kindness and thoughtfulness has led to a wonderful friendship and so they were also completely relaxed and very much themselves around me. Of all the sessions we’ve done together, this was by far the most meaningful and authentic because of those things.

Just now realizing her kids have the same exact eyes. But only P can roll his tongue ;-).

I really don’t know if I’ve ever seen her look more beautiful or content. She’s a wonderful wife and mommy! And Katie with Modern Muse Beauty ROCKED her natural beauty!!!

And then, I got in the water. And let me tell you, it was c-c-c-c-c-o-l-d! I wasn’t sure I could take pictures in focus because I was shivering so much. I really should invest in a wetsuit, huh?

K…your legs look Ah-Mazing!!! All that barre and running!!!!

The two of them paddling together = precious!

Look at the ducks!!!

Above is the color version of THIS. I love them both equally.

Another fav from this group HERE.

And then they paddled off into the sunset. And I was sad to see this session end :-(.

From mom:

Tell us a little bit about your family…

We are a family of four. Nathan and I will celebrate 10 years in a few months. Kennedy just turned 5 and Parker is 2 ½. They adore each other and are as thick as thieves.

What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?

I feel like we are entering into a really fun stage in life with the kids. They are now old enough to get in the boat with us. They love playing in the river. They love going to races and cheering everyone on. They are fully on board with river life and I wanted to capture that.

Where was your session held and why?

The San Marcos River. 6 years ago Nathan started canoe racing. 2 years ago I got hooked. Not only have we fallen in love with racing but the rivers on which we race. The San Marcos river is gorgeous and is home to the Texas Water Safari, the race that got us hooked. We spend so much time in and along the San Marcos, it feels like our home away from home, and seemed like a no brainer for where to take pictures.

What did you like about your session location?

It was such an effortless backdrop that we got to just be ourselves and have fun.

What was your favorite part of your session?

All of it. We had so much fun and laughed the entire time. [I agree. I don’t think I could pick a favorite part either.]

Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?

This was a location Michele had never been to and we had only been with the intent of paddling. I had never looked around thinking about how or where exactly we might take pictures. I felt like we were all going in blind. [Sometimes, the unknown spurs the greatest amount of creativity.]

Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session?

Parker’s three loves are water, bears and trains. Right in the middle of the session a train went over the bridge above us. The kids loved it. It was such a random surprise but so fitting. And definitely less stressful than if we had run into a bear. [um, yeah.]

Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?

Tell Michele your vision and then just sit back and let her work.

What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?

It was sheer luck that I came across Pinkle Toes shortly after we got married. We never had any kind of engagement photos or photos of just the two of us and she was the first photographer I came across whose photos felt natural and real. Years later and Michele is still the only one I will call. I’m an architect and I can be really picky when it comes to design. I get an idea or image in my head and want to turn it into reality. Michele is able to do that. Our canoes have always been a part of our sessions since Kennedy’s newborn pictures and when I suggested this time we get in the water she didn’t hesitate. She gets me, our kids LOVE her, and the end result is magic.

What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?

I hope when they look at these pictures they will remember the feel of the water, the sound of laughter, and the love within this family. I hope they will see just how much they are loved and how much we love this place.

I’ve been lucky enough to hang out with Kelly in several different capacities many times over the past few years and let me tell you, you had better be ready to laugh when she’s around because she is unstoppable and you never know what she’s going to do or say to crack you up. I imagine that’s one of the many qualities that make her such a skilled family photographer herself.  So, the session started off perfectly enough…loving parents doting on their BEAUTIFUL, spunky daughter.

But then hints of their shared sense of humor started emerging: notice Kelly and her daughter are making the same face on the left up there? I did not tell them to do that. They just laid down together and looked at each other like this and I was like yup, the apple did not fall far at all ;-).

The “ice cream” I was talking about in the title of the post? Recognize it? Um. Me neither ;-). But lets just say that #1 there’s just no way to pull off a photo shoot involving ice cream on Labor Day in Texas and #2 this young lady is REALLY convincing with her cone, don’t you think? And yup…there’s more hilarious expressions again.

So Kelly’s dad was kind enough to drive out his GORGEOUS classic car for the final part of our session. I was trying to get serious photographs here, but Kelly just kept me giggling the whole time! The one on the right below? I had to be really fast to catch that one. You never know what Kelly is going to do next ;-).

And then, we just bathed in perfect light for a bit. Favity fav HERE.

SO glad to get the grandparents in here for a couple of pics at the end. SOOOOOOO cute!

In Kelly’s words:

Tell us a little bit about your family…

Jason & I have been married for 13 years and Natalie is our world. Over the last few months we’ve started a lifestyle change by eating healthier and squeezing in some exercise… and we both were excited for this session so it can capture the progress that we’ve made so far.

What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?

Well… Fall is my FAVORITE time of year… the colors, the smells, the food, and just the big hug feeling you get from it all. Since I too am a photog and it’s our busiest time of year, I opted to aim for a bit of Fall, but before all my craziness sets in.

Where was your session held and why?

Our session was in a field outside of Austin… not really a special place to us, but I’ve always loved how the Texas roughage looks in pics especially at sunset. It always as some gypsy whimsy without distracting for the subject. I was also wanting a bit of old school nostalgia for this session. Since my dad collects and rebuilds old cars, it was only natural to use one for this vibe.

What was your favorite part of your session?

LOL… Me not having to shoot it!!! With being a photog, you’d think I would have TONS of pics with me in them and WITH my family… but I’m usually on the other side of the camera. I too also want the emotion and interaction with my family captured naturally without having to stage it and set a timer… or hope that my mom might actually keep it in focus, LOL.

Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?

Yea… that the old car wouldn’t make it there!

Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?

YES…. All women should get their hair and make-up done!!! I did, and it was one less thing to stress over and helps you feel more perky pretty for when you’re infront of the camera!

What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?

Because even though I still crave to have a boring traditional “everyone all looking and smiling at the camera shot”… I only need 1…. and the rest I love to leave it up to Michele in freezing our quirky selves.

What do you hope your family will say years down the road when looking at these images?

Awww… We actually do look good and like humans when we’re not sweating at the softball park!

It is not easy to articulate how this family makes me feel. When you’ve worked with a family for so long, it just doesn’t seem like “work” anymore and it becomes more like it’s MY own family I’m hanging out with. The kids just treat me like I’m a goofy aunt or something ;-). My Type A side tries really hard to keep my business self separated from my personal self–but that’s pretty much pointless. With a “job” this intimate, you just can’t help for your heart to become invested in the families you spend time with…you can’t help but to adore these children like you would adore your own. I was actually sad to leave my session with these guys :-(. Their children keep me so entertained…they make me laugh…they make me look upon my own kids and wish for this time back with them at these ages. And mom and dad couldn’t be more wonderful if they tried. They let their children be themselves and love them completely for exactly who they are and their passions. It’s a pretty beautiful thing to watch, actually.

She actually got in a couple of decent steps here!!! Way to go G!!!!

Big sister photobombed us at the last minute and I loved it.

Giggling at the littles.

When mom is willing to dance and twirl with her daughters in a beautiful dress during a beautiful sunset? Yes, please. Also, this one…yes, please.

A million thank you’s for letting me spend these times with your family, J and B…I love each and every time.

Okay, his mommy and daddy and his two big sisters are beautiful people, there is no doubt of that. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this little dude kinda steals the show no matter what he does! Whether he’s acting like a puppy dog (as demonstrated by lapping up the water in the fountain) or snuggling with his mommy or making funny faces, he is always 100% in the moment and 100% exactly who he wants to be at that time. And I have to admire that. I wish we could all continue to hold onto our childhood imagination as well as that inability to hide emotions. It just dawned on me that he is probably the most authentic he will ever be. As he gets older, social customs and expectations will start to take over and little by little, he will be more and more like a grown up. I don’t mean this to be all melancholy, but man, sometimes I do wish I could live more in the moment like little kiddos do. I think I’m going to try to take a page out of his book. If I feel like barking or whimpering like a puppy, maybe I will. Of course, at my age, that could land me in some trouble, couldn’t it. Okay, maybe I’ll just do it at my photo sessions ;-).

Torn on my favorites, by the way. It’s between the water fountain pic or THIS ONE.  What about you? Do you have a fav in this bunch?

{Hair and makeup for the gals by Katie with Modern Muse Beauty, whom I am seeing tomorrow. What should I do with my hair? I’m soooo tempted to get some crazy color done!}

I had a visit from a beautiful baby girl and her parents a few weeks ago and thought I’d share because her outfits are true retro outfits worn by her mommy back in the day and I think that is really, really cool. She rocked them for her 4 month milestone session and I’m sure her mommy rocked them in the 70’s (I probably had some of these same outfits when I was growing up ;-). One of my favorite images can be seen HERE.

When I asked if we could start their family photo session in a corn field and they willingly agreed, I knew it was going to be a dynamic and fun time! I really loved most that the boys got to be themselves (mom and dad let them play in the creek…in their outfits….and even brought wooden swords and soccer balls with which the boys could play). My personal favorite family pic is HERE.

 Oh….but I adore this one with the two of them peeking out of the corn stalks, too!

His faces. Sigh. Love.

 “Arghhhhhhhhh!” (He’s a pirate, in case you couldn’t tell.)

 Um. She’s stunning.

This look of fierce determination. He’s totally going to conquer this creek.

 They snuggled up like this all on their own!

They’re doing yoga here. Obvs.

From mom:

Tell us a little bit about your family…

Family of four – two high energy boys, ages 4&6. Relish our time outdoors & love to be together when school/work allows.

What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?

The boys are changing so quickly & I really wanted to capture them in their current stage when they’re not overly concerned with being silly & having fun around strangers & out and about in public.

Where was your session held and why?

At the park – I really wanted a natural environment where we could capture the boys in their element

What did you like about your session location?

All of the natural elements & being in an environment where the boys could just play

What was your favorite part of your session?

Watching the boys play in the creek.

Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?

The boys melting down. The evenings are usually our witching hour & they already had an eventful day. Also, anything too staged or unnatural.

Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session?

Leaving the park after the session & my oldest tripping & scraping his knee. Not exactly funny, but slightly comical the timing of it & par for the course.

Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?

Treat it as any other family outing or, in our case, trip to the park. We brought a soccer ball, etc – things the boys would normally carry along with them. Try to take a back seat & let the kids do their thing, so the pictures will hopefully convey a more natural quality

What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?

The natural, in stages feel of Michele’s photos.

What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?

What awesome parents you are to have let us roll around in the creek fully dressed! Did you not consider bringing swimsuits?;-) {Oh, man! I think they were so excited when we let them get in the water in their clothes! That made it for them!–M}

I honestly wasn’t 100% sure we were going to be able to squeeze in her maternity pics before she had the baby, but somehow, we got a last-minute break in the rains and they ventured out to the Pinkle Toes “studio” and braved mosquitoes and crazy humidity to make it happen. Her eyes are absolutely captivating and she could not have chosen a more perfect dress to show off that perfect baby bump! These two were so much fun together and I truly cannot wait to meet the new little one very, very soon. [Check out the amazing light in this pic HERE].

I find it difficult to believe it was more than a year ago when we were celebrating the time they were waiting for her arrival (maternity photo session). And now here she is…a whole year old and she is a complete honest-to-goodness doll baby!

From mom:

Tell us a little bit about your family…

Family of 3 with two furry kids that didn’t get to participate in our session. A is our treasured gift. We love the outdoors and love going on family adventures.

What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?

First birthday!

Where was your session held and why?

Pinkle Toes Studio. We wanted some outdoor nature shots as well as intimate indoor pictures.

What did you like about your session location?

The greenery, the nursery and the ability to have indoor and outdoor option.

What was your favorite part of your session?

Capturing A in her pink dress.

Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?

Nope.

Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?

Just trust Michele. She will capture your family regardless of location, weather condition or any other challenges.

What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?

Returning client. Did maternity photos with Pinkle Toes.

What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?

Despite all the rain, we managed to have a great session and start a tradition.

 Is she NOT a carbon copy of her dad??? LOL. I was totally expecting dark hair and dark eyes and I kept giggling at how wrong I was!

One of my favorite mother-daughter images is HERE. At the end of the session, she had worked pretty hard by that point and was very hungry. I love, love, LOVE that we got to have a little down time while her mommy nursed her. Their connection during this time? You can FEEL it in the images:

[Makeup and hair by Modern Muse Beauty]