We wanted to do something colorful and fun for their family photo session this time, so I thought these spots in Austin would do just the trick. We were pleasantly surprised to discover some new options to add to the mix and they were the perfect “models” to do so! I love how fun and effortless they made it look and how they jumped right in to use our “props”…like this one HERE.

I feel like I have watched these girls grow up right before my eyes. Actually, I *have* in fact watched these girls grow up right before my eyes. Each photo session with this family has been unique and memorable for various reasons. This evening was memorable for me because of the absolutely AMAZING weather and lighting that we had. Such a treat! It honestly felt like I was hanging out with my own family, enjoying the beauty of Austin. My absolute favorite shot from this family session is HERE.

Putting it out here again: We are currently booking for the 6th Annual FREE Pinkle Toes Photography Kids Only Holiday Minis! A little sneak peek of the set is HERE and to find out more (and see more pics) and snag your spot, inquire HERE. There is a bonus offer that is ending soon, so you’re going to want to learn all about these ASAP!

Things you should know about this photo session:
1. These may be the most down-to-earth and laid back people I’ve ever met in my life and it is SO good for me to work with people like that. Their calm draws me in and makes me lighten up and see things that I might not have seen otherwise. I’m not sure mama realizes it, but it’s true.

2. The same thing happens when I’m lucky enough to have her as my yoga instructor at Modo ;-). And that’s why I love that place so much!

3. The breakfast tacos were a bit of afterthought, but it was perfect! During session planning, I asked her what they liked to do as a family and she half-jokingly replied, “Eat breakfast tacos.” Well, the early start to catch the sunrise began to take its toll on little man, so we decided to just give in and head over to grab breakfast tacos. I had no idea how CUTE and photographically awesome that place was. WIN!

4. I LOVE big sis’s freckles.

5. I also LOVE this pic totally improvised between mom & dad ;-).

6. That adorable fence where the kiddos are holding hands up there is now gone!!! It was a reminder of how quickly beautiful things come and go and how fast Austin seems to change sometimes.

Feels like I’ve known this family forever. I remember every session I’ve ever had with them in great detail, but I don’t think any other session has ever come this close to being more meaningful and invaluable as this one. I know that they are very thankful for the present…as in the now…as in each day they get to have together as a family (you can read why below). Last year and the months following were an incredibly scary and challenging time for them and it hit me like a ton of bricks after I got home from this session and saw how absolutely LUCKY they are to have their family back together and healthy again. And how impressed I am with this man’s strength and ability to recover. Before I go, that last image up there is my favorite, for sure. Rivaled closely by this one.

From Mom:

1) Tell us a little bit about your family… We missed out on our annual photo shoot in 2014 after Marcus came down with GBS from the flue vaccine and we are coming up on the 1 year anniversary and wanted to document his ongoing recovery.
2) What made you decide this was the time to do a photo session? Were you marking any special occasion, etc? Yes — living in the moment and grateful for each day together.
3) Where was your session held and why? Downtown with a Dia de los Muertos theme to celebrate the living and honor those that have passed.
4) What did you like about your session location? Murals, capturing the morning light and downtown vibe
5) What was your favorite part of your session? Always seeing Michele and the girls getting their annual scratch & sniff stickers 🙂
6) Was there anything you were nervous or worried about before the session? Nope, we are regulars and always trust Pinkle Toes to capture the moment in time in a natural and candid way
7) Any funny stories or interesting happenings during your session? We didn’t get pooped on by the pigeons and the girls didn’t eat any left over pizza off the street from the night before 🙂
8) Any advice to other families before their photo sessions? Plan plan plan, working with Michele on the theme and attire
9) What made you choose Pinkle Toes Photography? No brainer — she’s the best!
10) What do you hope your kids/family will say years down the road when looking at these images? That’s my dad! He’s healthy, happy and alive!

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!]

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]

austin urban family photography

I’ve had the pleasure of working with this family for years…many of my most memorable sessions have been documenting their lives and the girls growing up. We’ve spent most of our sessions at their beautiful ranch land, exploring the outdoors. However, they have since traded some of their ranch life for city life in the heart of downtown Austin and it was a super cool change of place to explore the urban outdoors for this session. Such a fun family, always up for anything and we always create something unique together! (Favorite family shot is HERE.)

Looking at these images together like this, it’s very Halloween inspired, huh? Very much looking forward to seeing everyone’s pictures on Instagram and Facebook tomorrow! Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!