I am aware that my contact and reservation forms are not working correctly this morning. I’m looking into it and will try to get everything up and running again ASAP. Hang in there!

Words that come to mind when I think of my evening spent with this family:

Busy, bustling, boisterous, creative, reading, books, art, collections, exploring, wonder, amusement, laughter, love, family, home, together, comfortable, at ease, happy, admiration, and peacefully chaotic.

There was so much to capture about this family…they are such a dynamic bunch. This session felt so real to me…so authentic. The little guy holding the frog up there…he was SOOOOO excited we found him in the pool! And THIS look on his sister’s face when she was oh, so curious but a bit timid as well was definitely my fav! The fact that the oldest brother was still holding his book even while snuggling with his mom was priceless. The way baby sister fits into her family so naturally and watching everyone try to win her affections made me smile. They’ve got quite the family here and it was not difficult at all to bring out their bond on camera.

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.

This is B. And her family. She is very busy. Very, very busy. In fact, she’s so busy, I have now deemed her “Busy B.” Based on my extensive experience in photographing littles who happen to be as busy as Busy B, I thought I’d share some tips you may find helpful should you per chance to meet a Busy B of your own.

1. Wear running shoes.

2. Accept that she is the leader and therefore, you must follow her.

3. Enlist the help of friends.

4. Rescue her friends.

5. Offer help, but only when it’s *really* needed.

6. Snuggle.

7. Often.

8. Play.

9. Often.

10. Laugh at your efforts to keep up and love every ounce of her energy and spirit almost as much as her parents do!

From Mom:

Tell us a little bit about your family…

We have been married for over five years. Our 2 year old keeps us super busy and we are looking forward to welcoming a little sister soon.

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

We love working with Michele and we try to schedule a session once a year

Where was your session held and why?

Our session was held at Phil’s Ice House in Austin. I really liked the idea of using their playground, especially with a busy two-year old.

What did you like about your session location?

The playground was perfect for a busy toddler and I loved all the colors and textures.

What was your favorite part of your session?

We spend a lot of time playing outside and I think the outdoor/playground session reflected our family well

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

tantrums!!!

Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session?

Blake did have quite a few tantrums during our session, especially trying to get her away from the playground.

Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?

Just roll with it 🙂 [And you did. And you did it WELL! It really makes a session so much more authentic and relaxed when parents are as easy going as you are. You set a great example of how to just let a session be!]

What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?

We have started working with Michele when I was pregnant with Blake and we have never been disappointed. My husband always says that “she is the best” and he is completely right. We are always blown away by the moments she captures.

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

I believe all of our sessions tell a story about our family. I hope when the girls look back on the images they understand the meaning of those moments.

Annnnnnnd…as always, my favity fav can be found HERE!

When trying to decide what we would do for this year’s annual family photo session, it didn’t actually take very long to land on the perfect location. You see, we all wanted something different from the past, but also something meaningful and when mom said that they often go into downtown Austin to run/bike with dad before work, well, I knew that’s exactly where we should go. We started off our very early morning with “coffee” at Jo’s because…#josisaustin. Loved the way the store lights looked, twinkling in the early morning. Also loved that her bunny (shhhhhh…don’t say anything, but I believe this is a replacement bunny) made it’s way into this session, too ;-).

Baby girl pretty much took charge and led the way for us to hit Auditorium Shores.

I love this city in the morning, too, little one!

Ohhhhhhh…that look. She *still* looks like a real, live doll to me. Those lips and those beautiful cheeks. Sigh.

Um, and how gorgeous is she???? I realized this session just how much mom and daughter look alike!!! I love being able to see new traits and features present themselves as I watch children grow up.

Okay, now these images under the bridge make my heart go pitter-patter. The. Duck. The. City. The. Light. The precious little girl hanging out with her parents. I mean, really, it’s all too much for me!

And when this happened, I melted into a little Pinkle Toes puddle right on the spot!

Back to downtown Austin!

Mom snuggles and then a goodbye kiss from dad as they each went off to begin their days at work. Such a sweet, sweet routine and how lucky to have it on camera now!

In the Spring of 2014, just a day before we reached a rather non-celebratory milestone (a year since the passing of my husband’s brother), I became an aunt…a real, honest-to-goodness aunt…when my one and only sister delivered identical twin girls at 31 weeks (and some change) gestation. At roughly 3 lbs each, they were sooooo tiny, and they were of course, immediately whisked away to the NICU where they would spend the next 5 weeks growing and learning to survive outside of the womb. I look at photos of them back during that time and I squint and I try to find some sort of recognition, but to me, they are not the same little people that I have come to know over the past year (and four months). I never understood this kind of love before, but I love these girls, as if they were my own, but in such a unique and special way. I can love them like I’m a grandparent…I can adore them and fuss over them and spoil them and see only their perfection…and I don’t have to do any of the rearing, the disciplining, the tough work required as a parent. I love being a mommy, make no mistake about that. But I am thrilled to be Aunt Poppy to these two vibrant, joyful little girls.(#auntpoppysnieces – also lovingly referred to as “The Bambinas” in our household ;-).

So, when it came time for their One Year Birthday Celebration, I didn’t hesitate one bit when my sister asked me if I would host their birthday party. I was only too eager to get to celebrate in magnificent style and mark this momentous occasion with flair! Taking inspiration from my sister’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse-themed Pinterest board (that’s what the girls were into at the time–they have since moved on to Yo Gabba Gabba, because this *was* four months ago, you know? And I am happily going to take them to a live show when they ever come back to town), we put together a colorful, joyful, fun party and I even think the girls enjoyed it!

Deliciousness on a platter from Nothing Bundt Cakes in the Austin Arboretum area. We have gotten bundtinis from there to mark each important milestone for the babies (at my sister’s baby shower, the day she reached 28 weeks gestation, the day they were born) and it was only fitting that we would have them at their First Birthday and will continue to have them each year after ;-). The candles were a wee bit tricky for their smash cakes, but at about 11pm the night before the party, I finally got it figured out.

My sister looks so happy up there making her little mouse cheeses!

Nearly 11 years ago, I saved and saved and saved to afford this little Fisher-Price house for my first son’s first birthday. That house was loved and passed along to my middle son and then to my daughter. But of course, they outgrew it and so I gave it away years ago. But, I knew I would HAVE to find one for the girls. It’s out of production, so it’s tough to come by. One day, I was shocked to see one at a children’s retail shop. SOOOOO excited to find it and after a bit of cleaning up and a new set of batteries, we were good to go. I *still* remembered the tunes and sounds that house plays. Jen: you cannot ever get rid of this, okay? When the girls finally give it up, let’s store it away to pass along to our grandkids. Deal?

Um, nothing cuter than those toes right there!

Cake time. Notice the different approaches.

See? Verrrrrry different.

“Ma’am…more cake, please?”

My middle son wanted to make a birthday card for the girls. The note he wrote (all on his own) had me in tears. He was so proud to read it to them at the party. I will add that the one thing I never anticipated was how much my own kids would ADORE their cousins. From the very beginning…remember this?

Hmmm…seeing that image makes me think we should try to recreate it…somehow.

Anyway, this long trip down memory lane has been wonderful for me and it sure makes me miss those sweet little girls. Good thing they don’t live too far away so I can pop in for fix whenever I need to. I am so grateful they are a part of our family and that they are healthy and happy and have brought boundless joy and love to us (and at a time when we really, really, really needed it). Aunt Poppy loves you, Bambinas, and I promise I will always be there for you (especially when you are teenagers and you need to vent to me about your mommy…oh, have I got some stories to tell you!).

A mommy. A wife. A daughter. A role model. A friend. A volunteer. A community servant. A fighter. A light. An inspiration.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

These images were taken along the banks of the flood-ravaged Blanco River in Wimberley. This was the site of the very first time I photographed her family as well as the very last time I visited them before her diagnosis and the flood. She said she thought it would be fitting…her bald head with the bald trees. I found it to be incredibly breathtaking, in equally good and bad ways: the flood damage is shocking, but so is the fact that she can still be so beautiful with no hair, while fighting cancer.  She has an immeasurable amount of strength and an energetic soul that shines throughout and I have not a single doubt that she is going to heal and move forward. Her courage and bravery inspires more people than her humility allows her to see.

I so enjoy getting to work with families with older children, especially repeat families because I really get to see little glimpses into my future before while watching these kids grow up before my eyes. First of all, let me tell you that the weather for their family photo session in Zilker Park could not have been any more perfect for a summer’s day. There was just the right amount of cloud cover that let us play with the city of Austin as our backdrop for a good hour AFTER sunrise, which is pretty much unheard of. While I’ve been to Zilker many times before, this was the first time I had ever climbed the rocks and I quite enjoyed the new perspective it gave us. I also liked hearing the boys reminisce about their memories climbing the rocks at the park as we explored.

At our last session, we played some football, and it was so cool to revisit that moment this time. But I kinda dug this take on it! #boymom

Brothers. Love.

Then we got to move on to the rowing docks. This is a HUGE pastime for this family and nothing is better than getting to capture something meaningful and memorable at a family photo session. And I loved the beautiful, bright colors this location gifted to us!

These two…SO cute together!!

I’m not sure if these boys realize just how lucky they are to have a mom and dad as cool as theirs ;-).

Side note: it was surprisingly difficult to get all three boats together in the same frame…here’s an outtake, turned image from our efforts.

Yaaaaaaasssssss! And then they all literally jumped into the lake! Repeatedly. You would be surprised at how many takes it required to get just the perfect shots. Though I don’t think anyone minded the chance to cool off and refresh one bit ;-). Another jumping fav HERE!