Austin bluebonnet family photos were new to me when I first moved to Austin, Texas several years ago. I didn’t realize how much of a tradition they have become during a Texas spring.
I don’t hold mini sessions or even promote bluebonnet portraits at this point, mostly because I love photographing my clients in and around their homes. However, when one of my favorite Austin clients asked to arrange a spring session in the flowers with their new baby, I was more than up for the project.
Photographing clients on the side of the highway, which is where the flowers tend to be, isn’t preferable to me because it doesn’t feel safe. It's also not usually very peaceful or magical. Luckily after much searching, I discovered a sweet patch of flowers where everyone could be safe during our session.
Unfortunately, there were serious storms brewing the entire weekend of our scheduled session, and we had to make the best of the weather while it wasn’t pouring. Side note: Texas weather always keeps us location photographers on our toes! To make things more interesting, the baby wasn’t in a super smiley mood in the beginning of the session -- no matter what his parents or I did, he wasn’t feelin’ it.
It happens.
I worked as hard as I could to change my perspective and attempt to make funny and interesting sights and sounds to capture the baby’s attention.
While we did capture some adorable images without the baby in super-smile-mode, I knew the mom and dad preferred beautiful images with their baby where he was the happy child they knew him to be. I suggested moving to a soft blanket (not fur for anyone wondering) on the ground, and something about the change in perspective completely shifted the baby’s mood. It was like magic.
Now on the blanket, mom, dad, and baby stayed for a bit while I remained perched on my ladder, capturing what was unfolding below.
I was happy with the results. I love the sea of blue, as well as the contrast of colors in clothing with the soft light. From where I stood, baby was overcome with joy and a significant sense of wonder. He was basically bursting with excitement.
I love how baby looks at his mom and dad (and flowers) with such curiosity and interest. I love how much his parents absolutely adore him.
Backgrounds matter with photography, of course. But for me, the real magic doesn’t so much come from the flowers or the background, but from what’s happening in and around them. The moments exchanged, the real connection that takes place in front of my camera -- that’s magical to me.
