Archive for 'Urban photo sessions'
Oh my gosh, I could not get over how amazing the sky was during our entire session! Not only that, but the temps were so fall-like for September in Austin, TX. It was a treat simply getting to work with this family, but with the spectacular sunrise and the city as our backdrop, I was in photography heaven.
I mean, look at those gorgeous rays of sunshine framing his delighted smile!
And the relationships between the older siblings and the younger twins would make anyone’s heart melt.
Four. 😉 Get it?
The skies were really THAT blue! Love how it made the colors in their outfits really pop. My FAV cloud image HERE.
These two are really amazing together.
So were these two…
And these two…
She was really wanting to be the star of the show, so we let her. And then she got all bashful ;-).
Her little shoes…I die.
Okay, I had to throw this one in there. We asked her to give her brother a kiss and he was having no part of that. But then seconds later, he was playing and laughing with her. Sigh…sibling love!
This guy has got skillz!
Little guy’s suspenders = perfection!
And I want to point out that Katie with Modern Muse Beauty was up before the sun came up, too, in order to do makeup/hair. She’s pretty awesome like that and I know mom sure appreciated not having to worry about that part of the session. It takes so much as it is to work out wardrobe and to get everyone dressed and fed and ready for the session, the last thing you want to have to fret over is makeup/hair. Wise choice, Mama!!!
And, from mom, herself:
Tell us a little bit about your family…
Well, there’s 6 of us; we get along great in that we’re so close we’re not afraid to give one another “the business”. My older two are from a previous marriage but they’ve had Mark in their lives for almost 10 years. We’re silly and (when we have time and our schedules allow) we like to have game night complete with cheating scandals.
What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?
We have never done a family session and with the twins able to walk we thought it would be a good time. This year will be our FIRST ever family Christmas card.
Where was your session held and why?
It was held on the rooftop of the parking garage of the long center because I hate nature… Grass creeps me out, true story, and the family indulges me, God love them. My poor children.
What did you like about your session location?
I loved the contrast of the beautiful sunrise with the concrete; it was SUCH a pleasant morning and the view of the city in the distance was amazing. [my kinda girl!]
What was your favorite part of your session?
our photographer!! What else. Honestly, you put us at ease (we’re awkward people in front of cameras) and you were so great with the little ones, and won HUGE points with the older ones for knowing something about a “whip” and a “Nene”??? [#imthatcool]
Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
I was worried that we’d all be/feel awkward having our pictures taken and be left to our own devises to come up with poses etc.
Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session?
Yikes – it was all such a rush and I hadn’t slept much the night before I don’t really recall. I do remember feeling like the vampy mom with the JCrew family. Then later that day, Marky (baby, not hubs) broke his leg and I kept telling the entire family, “HE’S FINE!” even though he wouldn’t walk… Tuesday (TUESDAY) I finally took him to the doctor and had a cast put on. I felt badly. I have withdrawn my submission for Mother-of-the-Year. [Oh, P…poor little guy! But try not to feel too badly…at that age, it’s really hard to tell when something is wrong sometimes. I hope he has a quick recovery!]
Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?
Oh my.. just relax and enjoy the ride because they’re in GREAT hands!!!
What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?
I stalked the blog and I loved ever last little thing about the pictures and the photographer and I have no regrets!! Can’t wait to do this again for senior pictures or something fun. 🙂
What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?
I hope they remember how much fun we all had; even coming up with what to wear was silly and fun because of all the drama coming from the boys… I dare say they were better dressed than me. [I think you ALL looked amazing!]
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!
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!
So, if you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this:
Followed shortly by this:
Okay, you *may* need some shades to get through all of the images in this family session. Truly, one of the most VIVID and colorful and URBAN photo sessions I’ve done in Austin! I’ve driven by the Austin Graffiti Park many times and I’ve always wanted to check it out, so I was pretty excited when my chance finally came with one of the most Austin families you’ll ever meet. Now, I will say, it was a bit of a challenge to avoid #1 the mud, #2 me falling off a wall, and especially #3 the not-so-appropriate “art,” but we did our best and these guys were positively AMAZING! I cannot think of a better group of cool, hip, awesome people to try to pull this off with! My absolute FAVORITE image (which will also be going in my portfolio whenever I get around to updating it 😉 is HERE!
You don’t say?
THE COLORS!!!!!!
Hello!
We were *trying* to have a serious moment here, but it just wasn’t happening. By this point, we were all pretty delirious with the heat and all nice and sweaty, lol!
You know I can’t pass up a cool reflection!
A bit like a game of Where’s Waldo…see if you can find all five people ;-).
Some of the randomness we spotted.
And, I want to give a shout-out to photographer Christie Goss who flew all the way in from Jackson, Wyoming (in a TROPICAL STORM, no less) to come hang with me for a few days and talk all things photography and business-related (rescheduled her Pinkle Toes Photography Workshop). She is SO wonderful, SO talented, and we had a fantastic time tooling around Austin. Thank you so much, Christie. I really enjoyed my time with you and I look forward to getting to visit with you again!
And now, from mom:
Tell us a little bit about your family…
Chris and I met in 5th grade, went to prom together our senior year and celebrated our 11th anniversary just two days after this photo shoot. We created three pretty awesome small people, Paxton (8), Evan (5) and Hamilton (2.5) that we are just trying really hard not to mess up too bad.
What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?
Michele came to our house right after we were fortunate enough to move back to Austin in 2011 and she’s been a staple for our family every year since. This year I was in a panic trying to figure out when we could fit our annual session into our crazy 2015 schedule….needless to say, the stars aligned and she contacted me!
Where was your session held and why?
We went to HOPE Outdoor Gallery aka Graffiti Park at Castle Hills aka the Baylor Street Art Wall. Our kids had been dying to explore the park and I just love the ever changing art work and colors. Michele needed us to go somewhere urban and super Austin-y. I really couldn’t wait to see what she could do there.
What did you like about your session location?
Oh, Ha! See above??? I think it’s a place that screams Austin. It was started as an educational art project and is one of the largest outdoor galleries in the USA. There are little gems hidden everywhere within the artwork (and some not so hidden gems we tried to avoid, ha!).
What was your favorite part of your session?
That it stopped raining just long enough to squeeze the session in at all??? That, and just exploring all around the gallery…and that funky detergent baby hanging on the post…keep Austin weird, y’all.
Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
No way. At this point in our relationship, a session with Michele is like a little family reunion. [I feel the same, my sista!]
Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session?
The fact that my oldest always finds a way to pass gas towards the end of our shoots with Michele and this year the baby was old enough to get it and then proceeded to run around and tell us all over and over that, “Paxton tooooooot!!!” and crack himself up.
Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?
Relax and trust Michele. She sees things that you absolutely had no idea she was photographing at the time. She handled the fact that my daughter went through a phase where I had to be holding her at all times and that my boys are wild and crazy. She has photographed us everywhere from our house at sunset, to the Broken Spoke at the crack of dawn, to little pockets of west Austin, the hospital, her studio and now a giant graffiti wall. She’s photographed us dressed to the nines, casual, super pregnant and pushing out a baby. Every single image she has captured of us we have loved. Every. Single. One. Every time we see her I am anxious to see what she comes up with because I just know she’s going to produce something that takes my breath away once again. [Aw…wow…thank you, W!]
What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?
We spent a little time in Lubbock as a family and I had the privilege of doing some work for a neighbor that was a photographer. Having seen the behind the scenes action there, I scoured the internet when we moved back to Austin searching for the right “feel” for our family. I stumbled upon Pinkle Toes Photography, googlestalked her, and there was no turning back. Her website, her blog and most importantly, her images just spoke to me.
What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?
I am really glad Mom made us wear those goofy age shirts every year….when’s our next session with Michele?
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful, blue-eyed baby boy that grew up into a beautiful blue-eyed big boy and he let us celebrate this milestone with him one warm summer morning in a park overlooking downtown Austin.
After exploring the park, making adorably cute faces, and doing some baby yoga ;-), he was crowned a prince by his mommy ;-).
Speaking of his mommy, she had this to say about his one year photo session:
Tell us a little bit about your family…
Alex and I met in Austin and have enjoyed starting our lives together and now our family here. Michele took newborn photos of Henry last year that turned out so well.
What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?
The photo shoot was for Henry’s first birthday. We know how fast they grow at this age and we wanted to get some photos while he is this age.
Where was your session held and why?
We did the photos at Butler park to get a nice view of the Austin skyline and to be outside. We did the newborn photos at home because it seemed too overwhelming to take him somewhere and too hot to be outside, but now that he is a little older and we are more comfortable as parents we felt like it would be fun to get more shots of him outside enjoying himself.
What did you like about your session location?
We loved the views of downtown Austin and the water. It was also really easy to get to and had ample close in parking.
What was your favorite part of your session?
When Henry started splashing in the water and when he was under the Magnolia tree in just his diaper.
Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
I was worried that Henry would be upset and not take great photos.
What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?
A coworker of mine had used Pinkle Toes to shoot her family many times and I had seen the photos and she highly recommended Michele. After using Michele for the newborn photos we knew we wanted to use her again.
What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?
Remember when Henry was that little?
These cuties are no strangers to the Pinkle Toes blog, but this is the first time I think we’ve worked together and I’ve really had the opportunity to experience their personalities. They are just getting to wonderful ages, where they are becoming more and more their own individuals and it’s been such a privilege to get to see that process happen in person!
This red wall was SUCH a find when mom pulled out all of this gorgeous red, white, and blue!
Sometimes, it’s nice to let the little ones take a step back away from the action of a photo shoot…where they don’t feel all the pressure is on them ;-).
And then…we got to RUN! And play! And RUN! And play some more!!
I was just commenting to someone about how much the Austin skyline has changed and so quickly! It’s amazing that while I may take pictures by the skyline nearly every 4th photo session, it’s NEVER the same it seems. Still crazy to think I can’t see the Frost Bank building from this vantage point any longer :-(.
Okay, so at this point, they were starting to feel their oats and they were getting so crazy and sooooooo funny!
And as always, don’t miss my PERSONAL FAV from their urban family session!
From mom:
Tell us a little bit about your family…
We are a family of four. The boys love legos, the beach and being silly.
What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?
We do a yearly session with Michelle right around the boy’s birthdays. I like to see how they’ve grown in a year.
Where was your session held and why?
It was held in urban Austin because we wanted to capture the feel of the city we live in.
What did you like about your session location?
True austin feel.
What was your favorite part of your session?
My favorite part is always thinking that the kids didn’t follow directions and that we won’t have good pictures… then realizing that Michelle always captures the perfect moments and the photos are amazingly beautiful.
Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
The heat.
Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?
Just enjoy it.. it always turns out perfect.
What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?
We’ve been working with Pinkle Toes for 6 years!
What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?
Mommy put together great outfits for us all! 😉 {Um…yes. Let’s talk about that for a second. Miss S…most of us have a hard enough time pulling together just one outfit for everyone in the family…I don’t know how you managed TWO sets??? You always rock the wardrobe department, my friend!}
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!}
Do not let their normal, ordinary, everyday family appearances fool you. Trust me. I know for a fact that these people are SUPERHEROES. How do I know that? Read on and you’ll see…AND…make sure you go ALL the way to the bottom of this post. You will NOT want to miss it ;-).
Sure. In the images above, they look simply like a beautiful, loving family you might see hanging around the streets of Austin–and they are–but now I can reveal to you their TRUE identities….
Get…
Ready…
To…
Be…
Amazed…
When…
I present to you…
SUPER MOM! IRON DAD! AND ROCK STAR!!!!
I mean, seriously? How FUN is this?! This little lady is sure lucky to have parents willing to be seen on the streets of Austin in their Super Hero Attire ;-). I loved this idea and I am SO happy we got to make it come to fruition. Mom did an incredible job pulling everything together for it.
FYI, that tattoo is actually her daughter’s writing. Definitely. Copying. That. Idea.
She can fly!!! You won’t want to miss my FAVORITE version of this image HERE!!!!
Super. Perfection.
From Mom:
Tell us a little bit about your family…
Well it’s Brad, Addie and I…oh and 2 dogs (Incy and Stella) and 2 guinea pigs (Pickles and Hazel). Poor Brad…he’s the only guy in the mix. I LOVE my family…it’s my life…really.
What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc?
No special occasion…just what is becoming our annual family photo session with Pinkletoes. Now the challenge is to find something unique and creative to do each year. Poor Michele doesn’t realize what she’s getting into…well maybe a tad bit after this session.
Where was your session held and why?
After much thought we decided to start on the UT campus and then hit the drag. We had 2 different themes going on so it was a perfect fit. Brad graduated from UT so having it there was special for him. And the drag…. well it’s the drag. You never know what you’re gonna get there…superheroes fit right in. 🙂
What did you like about your session location?
The UT campus is amazing…and BIG! Did I say big?? There are SO many fun and unique little spots and Michele seems to know them all. And the drag is just SO Austin-y.
What was your favorite part of your session?
I can’t pick a fav part…sessions with Michele are just plain downright fun. I think you gotta do one to understand. And that’s not just my thoughts…driving home we all talked about what a fun experience it was yet again!
Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session?
Well yeah…parading around downtown Austin in a superhero costume…and it’s not Halloween. But needless worries…see above. Well we did get a few stares. But who cares?? Not us!
Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session?
Addie loves it when Michele burps…and she didn’t disappoint. These are some serious burps guys! And then there was the moment it came time to change clothes so we popped into some random building on campus…maybe the only one without a bathroom to be found. So Michele stood guard while we donned our superhero costumes in a little alcove…kinda like our own little “phone booth”. [This was my fav part, too! – M]
Any advice to other families before their photo sessions?
Just go into it with an open mind and trust that Michele is awesome at what she does. Have fun and know that the product she delivers will far exceed any expectations you have. ***Repeat customer alert*** Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography?
Like I mentioned earlier this was our annual Pinkle Toes gig…a family tradition that we hope to continue indefinitely. And it’s not just her work…that speaks for itself. It’s also her business model…all of the little extra touches that mean so much. Thank you Michele…it doesn’t go unnoticed! [Aw, man…this means the WORLD, Karen!!! – M]
What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images?
I read once that a photo is a “return ticket to a moment otherwise gone”. They are. My dad was killed in service when I was 4 and I treasure the few family photos I have. I want our photos to help Addie remember random moments in her childhood that pieced together show her that we lived and loved and laughed and had fun while doing it! She IS the center of our universe and I want her to know that. [Actually, THIS means the WORLD, Karen!!! – M]
I will always jump at the chance to capture the vibrant, eclectic, funky-meets-western vibe of downtown Austin and when I get the added bonus of working with an equally fun family again? Um, yes, please! I know, I know it was a horribly early start to a Saturday morning, but I’m so grateful they stuck with it…I just love the freedom we get to enjoy when we’re practically alone on the streets of Austin and we don’t have to deal with any daytime heat! While I have worked in a few of these spots before, we really had the opportunity to try new perspectives and even discovered some new super-cool nooks!
P.S. Fav family firetruck photograph HERE (see what I did there with alliteration?).