We asked Kandid.ly’s most popular photographers in Austin to share their favorite places to take family portrait shots. Their list below will take you all over our gorgeous, eclectic city.
Kandid.ly allows people to book photographers based on cost, reviews, and styles. As a user, you can hire photographers by the hour to document any events or outings—allowing you to be in the moment and have great photography at an accessible price. With rates starting at $30/hr, which automatically include all the digital files from the session, Kandid.ly empowers a long-list of talented semi-professional photographers to make supplemental income doing what they love.
Top 5 Places to Take Family Portraits in Austin:
–> East Austin Neighborhood
Allison T. – $45/hr
“I love East Austin,” shares Kandid.ly photographer, Allison. “Nothing screams ‘Austin’ like painted wall murals, neon signs, or succulents. I love shooting here because of the ‘sense of place’ it gives, along with looking natural since everyone can identify with neighborhoods.
With the neighborhoods filled with tropical plants, textured fences, or rusty truck—it’s a goldmine for cool, unique shots. “No matter what a family’s personality is, there is always a house/wall/gate to match it,” shares Allison.
About Allison: My favorite part about taking portraits is getting to know the people in them. I get to see what their life is like, and their personality. I like making them laugh, and trying to get a photo that they would look at and say ‘that’s me’ or ‘that’s my smile.’”
–> Mt. Bonnell
Rodney M. – $100/hr
“The greenery allows you to capture photos with interesting depth of field,” shares Kandid.ly photographer, Rodney. “You can really take advantage of branches, shrubs and tall grass by placing them in the foreground to shift the focus of your shot to your subject.”
Not only that, these kinds of shots really gives you a genuine and natural sense of the space—which really lends itself to casual photography with an organic flair. Plus, the area just really makes people relax and be themselves.
About Rodney: “If I distill it down, I would say that what I find most satisfying about portraits is capturing the essence of an individual’s character and life. When I’m shooting, I always look for these moments, when the subject let’s down their guard and just does something spontaneous.”
–> Dougherty Arts Center
Joshua L. – $60/hr
“I like shooting portraits here because it is just outside of the city so you can take a chance to ‘get away’ from distractions,” shares Joshua. A multi-faceted location, Joshua explains that there’s all kinds of shots you can take. “For instance, there is a small man-made pond with a fountain in the middle and three piers extending out into the pond.”
Bonus: It’s usually mostly uninhabited so it’s easily to get into the groove and stop being so self-conscious. “That’s when you can capture the true personalities and make people enjoy the photo session.”
About Joshua: I like taking photos of people for two reasons. The first is to capture a moment of a person being their true selves. The second is to empower someone, to make them feel beautiful about themselves.
–> SoCo
John M – $125/hr
“I love shooting in SoCo because there is so much diversity in the backgrounds and scenery,” shares John M. “I especially love taking pictures of tree-lined parkways and unique urban architecture.” In particular, he recommends a certain tree-lined parkway, right past riverside.
About John: “I enjoy connecting with each and every client. I focus on getting to know a little bit about each subject, uniquely, so that I can tell his or her personal story in photographs. My favorite part of each session is seeing the look of confidence and excitement on the faces of my clients as I show them our images in camera!”
–> Long Center Platform
Eddie M. – $50/hr
“The Long Center for the Performing Arts itself is a stunning, yet peaceful piece of architecture that not only looks great in a photo but seems to invite and incite creativity,” shares Kandid.ly photographer, Eddie. “But it’s the view of the Austin skyline from atop the platform that keeps me going back.”
Bonus: Photos work at night, too, as the building, the ring, and the pillars supporting it are always brilliantly lit.
About Eddie: “I like taking photos of people because people are interesting! I’ve taken lots of portraits, and the process for each is the same but the experience is always different because everyone is different.”
Ready to plan your family photo shoot? Visit the Kandid.ly website to book your session!
