Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections

For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout – weaving in and out of your poses.

family of three in yellow wildflower field in austin texas

For this High School Senior, we got to include her family throughout her session, show off her vintage hat and typewriter collection and celebrate where she’s going to college next year. We did all of this in the Spring wildflower fields at the Mueller Southwest Greenway.

girl jumping wearing her new college t-shirt

If you’re also interested in having your Senior Photo Session at the Butterfly Gardens in Mueller Southwest Greenway, check out my essential tips below.

Tips for Senior Photo Sessions at the Mueller Southwest Greenway:

  • These sessions work best at golden hour (about 1-2 hours before sunset)
  • Wear closed-toed shoes or boots since the grass gets pretty high at peak wildflower season
  • Keep an eye out for bugs, reptiles and other creatures among the fields (we had to move one turtle safely out of the way to get my cart through the walking path to the pond)
  • Plan to meet at the Butterfly Garden’s Rocket Ship (an excellent landmark meeting spot)
  • There is no restroom nearby, so be prepared to change outfits in your car
  • Wildflower season lasts from March – May in a good year

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

  1. What prompted you to have this photo session? I am in my senior year of high school, so I really wanted to get some professional photos done for my college decision cards that I am going to mail out. I also wanted to have a photo shoot to document my senior year to look back on when I am older.
  2. What do you plan to do with your digital photos? I plan to use them when my send out my graduation announcements as well as posting a few of them on my instagram. I also had some of the photos taken with my college shirt, so I am going to use those for a post on my High School’s instagram page about where I am going to college. 
  3. How did you choose your location for your session? I was really interested a nature photoshoot, so I told Stephanie what I wanted, and she came back with some really great options for the photo shoot. I was deciding between two of them, but I ultimately picked the location that was abundant with colorful wildflowers. 
  4. What advice would you give to others planning a similar Senior photo session? I would recommend taking full advantage of being able to bring objects with you. I brought my type writer with me and Stephanie did an amazing job coming up with poses that would work for it. I think bringing an object that was special to me made the photoshoot a lot more fun and unique.
  5. Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? I felt really comfortable throughout the whole photoshoot. Stephanie was really good making the photoshoot fun and casual. She was also great at picking out spots that worked well with the outfits I had chosen and she had a lot of good poses that she came prepared with, which I really appreciated.

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

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Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout - weaving in and out of your poses. For this...

read more

Butler Park & Ladybird Lake Trails – Senior Photo Session

Butler Park & Ladybird Lake Trails – Senior Photo Session

Butler Park skyline views, Running around Ladybird Lake and Celebrating Graduation

I always ask my graduating Seniors in Austin, Texas if they’d like to incorporate some of their hobbies into their Senior Photo Session.

runner ladybird lake town lake austin texas lone star boat tour water

This University of Texas Senior loves running around Ladybird Lake (aka Town Lake) so we made sure to get some images in one of her favorite parts of town.

college senior photo session holding running shoes around ladybird lake trails in austin texas

If you’re also interested in having your Senior Photo Session at Butler Park and around the Ladybird Lake Trails, check out my essential tips below.

Tips for Senior Photo Sessions around Ladybird Lake:

  • You have several entry points as options for Trail photos – around Austin High School, near Zachary Scott Theater and near Butler Park are my top 3 favorites
  • If you like the Butler Park area, pay for parking at the Long Center and walk over
  • We can get a combination of skyline views from Butler Park as well as nature and water backdrops near the Lake
  • I’ll make sure to check local event calendars to make sure there aren’t any large event conflicts during your session date and time

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

  1. What prompted you to have this photo session? Graduating is always a big deal, but I didn’t really get to celebrate my high school graduation as it was during the Covid era, so I really wanted to try and commemorate my college graduation. I wanted to have nice photos to look back on and also use for my announcements! 
  2. What do you plan to do with your digital photos?I plan on using them for my announcments and for the obligatory instagram grad post, of course. I will also end up using on of the photos for my LinkedIn profile. 
  3. How did you choose your location for your session? I have really fallen in love with running and with Austin over the past year, and Lady Bird Lake has become a comfort place for me- so it only seemed right to take these photos here. 
  4. What advice would you give to others planning a similar Senior photo session? Trust in the weather to cooperate as long as it isn’t raining! And for this location, take note of the events happening on the same day, we got lucky with empty-ish spaces to shoot but it was definitely more packed than normal, even for an Austin weekend! 
  5. Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? She was amazing to work with. So sweet and full of energy, she got me pumped up to shoot these photos when the weather had been concerning me. She made me feel like a hundred bucks and I’m so grateful that she was recommended to us, truly such a considerate and talented photographer. I’m so excited to see the photos! 

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

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Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout - weaving in and out of your poses. For this...

read more

Seaholm District – Austin High School Senior Photos

Seaholm District – Austin High School Senior Photos

Exploring Downtown Austin, Walking the Butterfly Bridge and Dealing with lots of wind

I always do a weather and text check-in with my High School Seniors (and their parent) the day of their photo session. This makes it easy for them to find my contact info in their phone if they have last-minute questions.

For this Senior, my day-of text message to them said “Pack a Hairbrush – it’s going to be windy!”

wind blown senior hair on the butterfly bridge in austin, texas for cap and gown senior photo session

Thankfully, her mom was on hand to do hair touch-ups in the different spots we explored around the Seaholm District and Downtown Austin near the Central Library.

high school senior spring blossoms tree photos

Some spots were definitely less windy than others – like this beautiful green ivy wall.

green ivy wall high school senior photo session austin

If you’re also interested in having your Senior Photo Session in the Seaholm District, check out my essential tips below.

Tips for Senior Photo Sessions in the Seaholm District in Austin, Texas

  • It can get crowded with other photo sessions at peak times (weekend evenings in Spring and Fall) – so pick off times if possible.
  • Garage parking is available at the Central Library or Trader Joe’s nearby (Trader Joe’s will validate your parking with purchase)
  • Have a spotter when you’re taking photos on the Butterfly Bridge and be ready to get out of the way fast if cars are coming
  • Make sure to capture the mix of greenery, artwork and industrial buildings
  • If your clients need a place to change or restrooms, the Austin Central Library is right there (if your session is during their open hours)
  • Make a plan to eat downtown after your session, there are lots of great restaurants within walking distance

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

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

More From This Category

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout - weaving in and out of your poses. For this...

read more

Commons Ford Ranch – Wildflower Senior Pictures

Commons Ford Ranch – Wildflower Senior Pictures

Spring wildflowers, celebrating Senior year and a view of the river from the dock

If you book your High School Senior Photo Session in Austin in March, April or May, there’s a good chance you can have a backdrop of Spring wildflowers in your photos.

texas bluebonnets and red indian paintbrush wildflowers in a south austin senior photo session at commons ford ranch

Since that was this Senior’s request, I went on some wildflower location scouting trips. Finding a nice patch of bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush there, I suggested Commons Ford Ranch in South Austin for her location.

high school senior photo session water dock commons ford ranch

If you’re also interested in having your Senior Photo Session at Commons Ford Ranch, check out my essential tips below.

Tips for Senior Photo Sessions at Commons Ford Ranch

  • It can get crowded with other photo sessions at peak times (weekend evenings in Spring and Fall) – so pick off times if possible.
  • It’s about a 10 minute walk from the parking lot to the Lakefront area – make sure to wear or bring comfortable shoes for walking between locations 
  • The Lakefront area can be a popular party area – keep an eye out for stray beer cans in your frame and you might have to wait your turn on the dock. (We had some lovely fisherman move out of the way so we could get the angle and shots we wanted)
  • Lots of wildlife call this park their home. If you are going to be in the tall grass, wear cowboy boots or pants as one of your three outfit options.
  • Springtime wildflowers can be spectacular – peak blooms are usually in March, April and May. Winter has some lovely golden dry grass as well.
  • Enjoy the beautiful and peaceful scenery just 25 minutes away from downtown Austin

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

  1. What prompted you to have this photo session? I wanted to have this photo session because I am a senior and wanted to have pictures done, not just to put on graduation cards & that sort of thing but also to memorialize this time in my life. I think it will be fun to look back and see how I looked as a senior in high school when I am older.
  2. What do you plan to do with your digital photos? I plan to post some to my personal instagram account, send some to relatives and put one on a graduation card.
  3. How did you choose your location for your session? I chose Commons Ford because I really wanted something natural. I felt like an urban setting wouldn’t really match my personalty; I love Austin nature and wanted to be photographed in it. I also wanted to have wildflowers in my photos and I heard from a friend (plus Stephanie scouted it out for me) that the wildflowers there were pretty.
  4. What advice would you give to others planning a similar Senior photo session? Make sure you look at the forecast beforehand! I didn’t realize it would be so cloudy on the day I picked; I hoped the sky would be bluer. That said, I think my photos still turned out well. Also, go in with a specific vision and don’t be afraid to communicate that!
  5. Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? Stephanie was so sweet; I liked her immediately. She made me feel very comfortable, which was good since I don’t love being photographed. She also was very prepared, she had everything from double-sided tape to hairspray to props. She made posing feel natural and it wasn’t awkward at all. My mom and I enjoyed chatting with her, her happy manner and her expertise behind the camera!

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

More From This Category

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout - weaving in and out of your poses. For this...

read more

Long Center – Austin High School Senior Pics

Long Center – Austin High School Senior Pics

All the world’s a stage, rain break, and graduation cap and gown

Even though I always check the Events Page of the location before setting a date for a session, you still get surprises.

Like when I walked up to the Long Center Rotunda before a High School Senior photo session and saw an exercise class happening.

long center exercise class

This Senior’s family was so sweet and flexible. So, when we learned the exercise class would be wrapping up 30 minutes into our session, we rolled with it.

I started taking photos around the edges first – making sure to get some shots of this Theater kid on the 3-D printed stage.

cap and gown senior on 3-D printed stage at the Long Center in Downtown Austin, Texas

Then it started to rain. Which meant the exercise class ended early. And we could wait for breaks in the rain to get the classic “skyline reflected in the windows” image. (Note the raindrops on the ground)

rainy senior photo session austin

Thankfully the rain didn’t last long, so we were able to finish out the Senior Pictures in all my favorite spots (including the rooftop of the parking garage).

class of 2024 high school senior photo session

If you’re also interested in having your Senior Photo Session at the Long Center, check out my essential tips below.

Tips for Senior Photo Sessions at the Long Center

  • EVENTS: Check the Long Center events page first to ensure there won’t be a conflict with your session date (though be ready to be flexible if a surprise event IS happening)
  • PARKING: Long Center Garage has ample parking (as well as lots of great backdrops)
  • TIME OF DAY: I prefer “just before sunset” golden hour sessions to get the best light on the Austin Skyline in the background
  • LOCATIONS: I usually start at the Long Center Rotunda (love all the architectural details and color palette), and then either move towards the parking garage rooftop for an urban vibe or go towards Butler Park for a nature setting
  • OUTFIT CHANGES: Be prepared to change outfits in your car in case the Long Center is closed to visitors during your session.

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

  1. What prompted you to have this photo session? Our daughter saw your work featured on a friend’s IG page and loved her photos.  We reached out because it was exactly the kind of photos she wanted (Leigh). 
  2. What do you plan to do with your digital photos? We will have prints made of a few of the ones we really love to display in our home and make the others into a photo book that will include other photos from Naomi’s childhood and high school years (Leigh). I plan to use the photos for my graduation invitations, my school’s yearbook, and to print them so we can hang some in our house (Naomi). 
  3. How did you choose your location for your session? Naomi was in the Nutcracker in elementary school and  is involved with select ensemble now. Both performances took place at the Long Center so it has significance for her (Leigh). I choose the Long Center to have my session at because the Long Center is a significant place to me, as I’ve performed there mulitple times for different events throughout my life (Naomi).
  4. What advice would you give to others planning a similar Senior photo session? Take the time to think about locations that are important and wearing outfits that you won’t regret 10-20 years from now:).  Also, it’s hard to control the weather.  We knew we wanted the Long Center and were just wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to be 100 degrees in Austin yet (Leigh). My piece of advice to others is don’t be afraid to ask questions, strike poses, and voice your opinion, these photos are for you! (Naomi).
  5. Anything else you’d like to add about working with Stephanie Friedman Photography? Stephanie made the entire process very easy and worked really well with Naomi.  Your communication leading up to and after the shoot about what to expect was also super appreciated!  (Leigh). Working with Stephanie was an absolute delight. She’s super friendly and open to all ideas. 10/10 experience!! (Naomi).

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

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Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout - weaving in and out of your poses. For this...

read more

Posing with Props – Senior Session Ideas

Posing with Props – Senior Session Ideas

Looking for ways to personalized your Senior Photos?

Want a Senior Photo Session that is as unique as you are? It comes down to making sure all the details reflect your personality.

From what you wear to the location you pick, both your setting and your wardrobe can highlight your uniqueness.

Another way to to illustrate what makes you special, is to include props that showcase your High School Experience.

Take a look at some of the examples from recent Senior Sessions in Austin below. You’ll see what these students did to make their photos match their interests.

Hopefully, these examples inspire you to incorporate some of your favorite elements into your Senior Photo Session.

And if you require assistance brainstorming ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact me. I love coming up with ways to illustrate your special interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities. 

Interested in Booking a Senior Photo Session?

More From This Category

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Mueller Southwest Greenway – Senior Photo Session

Family photos add-on, Spring Wildflowers and Vintage Collections For Senior Photos Sessions, you have the option to add-on a mini-family session. Your family can either come at the end of your session or be there throughout - weaving in and out of your poses. For this...

read more