photography - Austin Senior Photographer | Stephanie Friedman Photography

Elementary Graduation – 360 Overlook Session

by admin | Jun 4, 2026 | graduation

Tips for Photo Sessions at the 360 Overlook | Austin Senior Photographer

This group of nine 5th graders wanted to celebrate graduating Elementary School together. So we met at the top of the 360 bridge overlook.

I loved that one of the moms made sure everyone had 2026 sunglasses, matching caps and stoles (in pink, of course) to wear for some of the group photos.

The 360 Overlook is located in Southwest Austin next to the 360 Bridge. You’ll park on the side of the 360 highway and take a short 10 minute rocky climb straight up.

view from the 360 bridge overlook in austin

If you’d also like to have a photo session at the top of the 360 Overlook, here are my tips below:

PARKING: There is illegal parking on the unpaved shoulder of Loop 360 (but that’s where everyone parks). You can also park back in the neighborhood, but it’s a longer walk to the trailhead.
OPERATING HOURS: The area is open 24 hours day/7 days a week. Weekends are more crowded.
LOCATIONS: Main features include the view from the top of the overlook. I think the light looks best for sunset sessions. It’s about 0.5 miles out and back.
RESTROOMS: There are no nearby restrooms.
SAFETY: Wear good hiking shoes (or change into cuter shoes at the top). The limestone path up is best with close-toed sturdy shoes. Also, there are no guardrails at the top – so be very careful at the edge. The cliff drops straight down. There are frequent break-ins at the parking spots as well – so don’t leave any valuables in sight.
NEARBY RESTAURANTS: If you’d like to go out for dinner after your photo session at the Overlook, some nearby favorites off of 360 include: County Line on the Lake (BBQ), Jack Allen’s Kitchen (Southern Comfort food) and Maudie’s Milagro (Tex-Mex).
DOG-FRIENDLY: Yes, this area is definitely dog-friendly if your dog is a good climber and on a leash.
WHAT TO BRING: It’s optional, but some prop ideas are listed HERE for families and HERE for Seniors.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Senior or Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

stephanie friedman headshot

Stephanie Friedman first picked up a camera in high school, went on to study photojournalism at the University of Texas (Hook ‘Em), then worked as a photo researcher in educational publishing for over 20 years.

Besides all that, she’s been photographing Families and Seniors for the last 10 years. You can count on her to be communicative and organized before your session. She’ll help you feel relaxed and confident during your session. And you’ll have a smile on your face after your session once you see your new photos.

Interested in Booking a Senior or Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Elementary Graduation – 360 Overlook Session

Jun 4, 2026

Tips for Photo Sessions at the 360 Overlook | Austin Senior Photographer This group of nine 5th graders wanted to celebrate graduating Elementary School together. So we met at the top of the 360 bridge overlook. I loved that one of the moms made sure everyone had 2026...

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Butler Park – Senior + Family Portrait Session

by admin | May 17, 2026 | photography, seniors

Tips for Photo Sessions at Butler Park | Austin Senior and Family Photographer

This High School Senior was looking for a nature setting in South Austin for her combination Senior + Family photo session this Spring.

One of the spots I recommended was Butler Park.

This park is located in South Austin next to the Long Center. It has great Downtown Austin skyline views and three small docks overlooking a pond. We met on a Monday night so it wasn’t very crowded at the park.

map of butler park in austin

Since the splash pad was running (it’s generally open year round and usually on from 10am-10pm), we ended her photo session among the jets. (I did have to photoshop out a few children splashing around in the background, but that’s to be expected).

We also made sure to get some photos celebrating where she’s going to college in the Fall.

And check out in the Gallery below all the creative ways they made an “N” for their photos.

senior graduation photo session. the high school senior is wearing coordinating nebraska college shirts with parents

If you’d also like to have a photo session at Butler Park, here are my tips below:

PARKING: There is a small paid parking lot off of Barton Springs Road. Use the Park ATX app to pay Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm and on Saturdays from 12pm-5pm. If the parking lot is full, you can also look for street parking along Riverside Dr. or in the pay lot at the Long Center.
OPERATING HOURS: The park is open from 5am-10pm daily.
LOCATIONS: Main features include the Doug Sahm Hill (with those downtown Austin skyline views), an open meadow, walking trails, three docks overlooking the pond and some flower beds.
RESTROOMS: There are public restrooms near the Alliance Children’s Garden you can use to change outfits in. (Or you can also change outfits in your car)
EVENTS: Keep an eye on local event calendars to make sure there aren’t major conflicts nearby at the Palmer Events Center or the Long Center.
NEARBY RESTAURANTS: If you’d like to go out for dinner after your photo session at Butler Park, some nearby favorites include: Terry Black’s BBQ, Mexican Restaurant El Alma, and walk up or drive-through Sandy’s Hamburgers.
DOG-FRIENDLY: Yes, this park is definitely dog-friendly.
WHAT TO BRING: It’s optional, but some prop ideas are listed HERE for families and HERE for Seniors.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Senior photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Client Feedback and Advice

What prompted you to have this photo session?I asked for referrals from friends who also had seniors and your name came up. I checked out your site, and you had availability on our timeline.
What do you plan to do with your digital photos? We’ll use them to create announcements for her graduation and grad party. We’ll also share them with family who are out of state.
How did you choose your location for your session?My senior had a preference for nature, and we wanted some with the city skyline. Stephanie recommended the perfect place that worked for both!
What advice would you give to other High School Seniors planning a similar photo session?Be flexible and prepared to have fun and maybe be a little goofy. The goal is to capture your senior in their element and celebrate how we’ve all made it to senior year!
Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? Working with Stephanie was incredibly easy. From scheduling to meeting up at the location, the emails and texts made it simple and low stress.

stephanie friedman headshot

Interested in Booking a Senior or Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Sisters Shared Senior Photos – UT Graduation Session

by admin | May 7, 2026 | photography, seniors

University of Texas at Austin College Photo Session | Austin Senior Photographer

When planning a University of Texas college photo session, I tell my Graduating Seniors to pick their top three-four anchor locations on campus. Then we’ll plan the flow of their session around these spots.

Outlining the route:

For these twin sisters, they picked the:

Gearing Courtyard with views of the Tower (The Tower has scaffolding about halfway up from this angle)
Life Sciences Library inside the Tower (which ended up being locked (!) and inaccessible due to construction)
Calhoun Outdoor Hallways/Six Pack buildings
University of Texas sign on the South mall (which we scrapped and replaced with the Littlefield Fountain for some champagne popping)

as their must-haves. Thanks to these seniors for being flexible as we changed some of our spots on the spot.

university of texas twin sisters shared college graduation photo session

Then it was Horns Up as we walked around campus.

I made sure to get a mix of solo photos of each graduate as well as photos of them together. And to have a towel ready for them after their fountain celebratory dip.

If you’d also like to have a Graduating Senior photo session on the University of Texas at Austin campus, here are my recommendations below:

TIMING: Right before Spring Graduation, Campus gets pretty full of photo shoots. So try and plan earlier in the semester or choose off-times for your photos (or be okay with waiting for your turn in front of popular spots)
PREP: Iron your regalia and bring it on a hanger.
WHAT TO WEAR: You can pose in your full cap and gown, part of your regalia, regular dressy clothes or any combination of the above.
LOCATIONS: If you have a particular spot on campus that means a lot to you (Ex. where you took the majority of your classes), let me know so we can include it in our route.
ROUTE: I’ll send you a list of popular spots before your date so you can give me your top four choices to visit in your hour-long session.
MINI ADD-ON: If your family will be in town, we can add-on a mini-family photo session.
CELEBRATE: If you want to end your session in the Littlefield Fountain – bring some champagne to “pop” as well as a towel for drying off and flip flops to wear for afterwards. You can also bring some biodegradable paper confetti cannons to pop.
WALKING SHOES: Since we’ll likely be doing a lot of walking around campus, wear or bring comfortable shoes to change into between spots (I’ll have my blue rolling cart to help carry everything).
GROUP SESSIONS: If you’re interested in a group session with some friends, contact me for group pricing.
TOWER CONSTRUCTION: Keep an eye on the latest UT Tower construction updates.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own College Senior photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

stephanie friedman headshot

Stephanie Friedman first picked up a camera in high school, went on to study photojournalism in college (Hook ‘Em Horns), then worked as a photo researcher in educational publishing for over 20 years.

Besides that, she’s been photographing Families and Seniors for the last 10 years. You can count on her to be communicative and organized before your session. She’ll help you feel relaxed and confident during your session. And you’ll have a smile on your face after your session once you see your new photos.

Interested in Booking a College Senior Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Tips for a Downtown Austin Senior Photo Session

by admin | May 6, 2026 | family, photography, seniors

Seaholm District, Tau Ceti Mural and Downtown Rooftop Views | Austin Senior Photographer

This Family chose the Seaholm District and the Tau Ceti area in Downtown Austin for their combination Senior + Family photo session.

When they met me outside of Seaholm this Spring, we saw lots of construction fences. The Seaholm Power Plant has been taken over by one of Elon Musk’s companies. Which means that a security guard came out right away when we tried to take some photos in spots I’ve been photographing for years.

This change meant we just headed over to the downtown public library area sooner for their photos.

seaholm district senior boy photo session

After exploring around the Butterfly Bridge, we drove over to the Tau Ceti mural and then took some photos on top of the Convention Center Garage rooftop.

downtown austin rooftop family photo session

If you’d also like to have a Family and/or Senior photo session in Downtown Austin at the Seaholm District, here are my tips below:

1.PARKING: Paid garage parking is available at the Central Library or Trader Joe’s nearby (you can also use the Library restrooms during their operating hours for outfit changes). And if you buy anything at Trader Joe’s, they’ll validate your parking.

2. LOCATIONS: Seaholm: There’s a great variety of urban and nature backgrounds in a few block radius. Make sure you take advantage of all the different backdrops available. It’s a fun juxtiposition of greenery and metal. Tau Ceti: Start at the colorful mural then take the garage elevator up to the rooftop for skyline views.

3. TRAFFIC: This area is very popular, so expect other photo shoots to be happening at the same time and take your turn in front of popular spots. You will also have literal car traffic going across the Butterfly Bridge, so be careful when photographing there. Have a spotter for cars.

4. DINING: Make a plan to eat downtown after your session. There are lots of great restaurants within walking distance of Seaholm. Near the Convention Center Garage, I recommend the Fareground Food Hall.

5. CLOTHING: Choose outfits that match the modern, urban vibe. And wear comfortable shoes – we’ll be walking several blocks.

6. DOG-FRIENDLY: Yes – you can bring your pet on a leash to this area of town.

7. WHAT ELSE TO BRING: It’s optional, but some prop ideas are listed HERE for Seniors.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Senior + Family photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Stephanie Friedman first picked up a camera in high school, went on to study photojournalism in college (Hook ‘Em), then worked as a photo researcher in educational publishing for over 20 years.

During all that, she’s been photographing Families and Seniors for the last 10 years. You can count on her to be communicative and organized before your session. She’ll help you feel relaxed and confident during your session. And you’ll have a smile on your face after your session once you see your new photos.

Interested in Booking a Family Photo Session?

Contact Me

← Previous Post Next Post →

Tips for a UT College Graduation Photo Session

by admin | May 5, 2026 | seniors, university of texas at austin

University of Texas at Austin College Photo Session | Austin Senior Photographer

When planning a University of Texas college graduation photo session, I tell my Seniors to pick their top three-four anchor locations on campus. Then we’ll plan the flow of their session around these spots.

Outlining the route:

For this couple, they picked the:

Green Door of the Architecture Library
Architecture Courtyard
Littlefield Fountain
South Mall UT Flowers

as their must-haves. We had talked about also going inside the Tower but since the weather was so nice outside, they switched last minute for more South Mall options.

college graduation session on the university of texas campus

And while we did have to wait in some short lines at popular locations (it was end of semester after all) – since we met on a weeknight, it wasn’t as bad as the weekend crowds can be.

I also made sure to get a mix of solo photos of each graduate as well as photos of them together.

If you’d also like to have a Graduating Senior photo session on the University of Texas at Austin campus, here are my recommendations below:

TIMING: Right before Spring Graduation, Campus gets pretty full of photo shoots. So try and plan earlier in the semester or choose off-times for your photos (or be okay with waiting for your turn in front of popular spots)
PREP: Iron your regalia and bring it on a hanger.
WHAT TO WEAR: You can pose in your full cap and gown, part of your regalia, regular dressy clothes or any combination of the above.
LOCATIONS: If you have a particular spot on campus that means a lot to you (Ex. where you took the majority of your classes), let me know so we can include it in our route.
ROUTE: I’ll send you a list of popular spots before your date so you can give me your top four choices to visit in your hour-long session.
MINI ADD-ON: If your family will be in town, we can add-on a mini-family photo session.
CELEBRATE: If you want to end your session in the Littlefield Fountain – bring some champagne to “pop” as well as a towel for drying off and flip flops to wear for afterwards. You can also bring some biodegradable paper confetti cannons to pop.
WALKING SHOES: Since we’ll likely be doing a lot of walking around campus, wear or bring comfortable shoes to change into between spots (I’ll have my blue rolling cart to help carry everything).
GROUP SESSIONS: If you’re interested in a group session with some friends, contact me for group pricing.
TOWER CONSTRUCTION: Keep an eye on the latest UT Tower construction updates.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own College Senior photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

stephanie friedman headshot

Interested in Booking a College Senior Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Commons Ford Ranch – Senior + Family Photos

by admin | May 4, 2026 | photography, seniors

Spring wildflowers for a Senior and Family Portrait Session | Austin Senior Photographer

This Westlake High School Senior requested Commons Ford Ranch as her photo session location. She chose the Senior + Family Package (and had her boyfriend in some photos as well).

class of 2026 sunglasses on couple of high school graduating seniors

Commons Ford Ranch is located in West Austin off Cuernavaca Dr.

This lakefront park has a rustic barn (currently being renovated), wooden fences, large prairie fields as well as a small wooden dock on the waterfront.

After all our April rain, we finally got some beautiful fields of wildflowers at the park.

commons ford ranch high school senior photo session among the spring wildflowers

If you’d also like to have a Senior photo session at Commons Ford Ranch, here are my tips below:

PARKING: There is parking along the road you drive in on. I recommend starting near the barn and parking over there.
OPERATING HOURS: The park is open from 5am-10pm daily. Admission is free.
LOCATIONS: This park is 215 acres. Main features include the barn, the fields, the trails and the waterfront area. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the barn to the dock.
WARDROBE: We’ll be doing some walking from one part of the park to another, so wear (or bring) comfortable shoes. Since you’ll be standing in tall grass, I recommend boots for some of your outfits (lots of wildlife call this park their home).
SCHEDULE: This park is very busy during peak times (October/November for Family photos and March/April/May for Senior Photos). It’s also very popular with birders.
RESTROOMS: There are two port-o-potties by the barn. There is one other restroom near the waterfront. Plan to change outfits in your car.
NEARBY RESTAURANTS: If you’d like to go out for dinner after your photo session at Commons Ford, some nearby options include: Patrizi’s for Italian, County Line for BBQ or bistro & bakery goodies at Ronnie’s Real Food.
DOG-FRIENDLY: Yes, this park is definitely dog-friendly.
WHAT TO BRING: It’s optional, but some prop ideas are listed HERE for Seniors.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Please check out some of my favorite images below and contact me if you’d like to book your own Senior Photo session in Austin, Texas. Explore more photo sessions on my blog.

Client Feedback and Advice

What prompted you to have this photo session? We wanted this session to capture Leili before she heads off to college.
What do you plan to do with your digital photos? We plan to print some and share the rest with family.
How did you choose your location for your session? We chose Commons Ford Ranch because its a good location with a variety of settings.
What advice would you give to others planning a similar photo session? Advice: Just relax and have fun!
Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? We had a great time working with you!

stephanie friedman headshot

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

Contact Me

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Tips for Photo Sessions at the 360 Overlook | Austin Senior Photographer

If you’d also like to have a photo session at the top of the 360 Overlook, here are my tips below:

Interested in Booking a Senior or Family Photo Session?

More From This Category

Tips for Photo Sessions at Butler Park | Austin Senior and Family Photographer

If you’d also like to have a photo session at Butler Park, here are my tips below:

Client Feedback and Advice

Interested in Booking a Senior or Family Photo Session?

More From This Category

University of Texas at Austin College Photo Session | Austin Senior Photographer

Outlining the route:

If you’d also like to have a Graduating Senior photo session on the University of Texas at Austin campus, here are my recommendations below:

Interested in Booking a College Senior Photo Session?

More From This Category

Seaholm District, Tau Ceti Mural and Downtown Rooftop Views | Austin Senior Photographer

If you’d also like to have a Family and/or Senior photo session in Downtown Austin at the Seaholm District, here are my tips below:

Interested in Booking a Family Photo Session?

More From This Category

University of Texas at Austin College Photo Session | Austin Senior Photographer

Outlining the route:

If you’d also like to have a Graduating Senior photo session on the University of Texas at Austin campus, here are my recommendations below:

Interested in Booking a College Senior Photo Session?

More From This Category

Spring wildflowers for a Senior and Family Portrait Session | Austin Senior Photographer

If you’d also like to have a Senior photo session at Commons Ford Ranch, here are my tips below:

Client Feedback and Advice

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

More From This Category

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