Allen, Texas Family Portraits: Snyder Family

While most photographers seem to shy away from them, I actually love photographing extended family portrait sessions! I love seeing the loving (and often funny) interactions between cousins, siblings, in-laws, and so on. With this particular family group, it helps that I've known some of them all of my life! Chris, one of the thirty-something men in these photos is my big brother's lifelong best friend.

Frisco Heritage Village Family Portraits

This was such a fun family session at the Heritage Museum in Frisco, Texas! These old homes and other historic buildings always make the perfect outdoor backdrop for portraits. Do you think her sequin horse dress comes in my size?! If so, I need one. 

Downtown McKinney Family Portraits: The Boltons

I love watching this family grow! I've been working with them a few times a year since their eldest turned 1. This was my first time to meet the newest addition, and I'm smitten. He's not camera-shy at all at 6-months-old, and was certainly more on board with the session than his two-year-old big brother! It may seem odd, but toddlers are actually my favorite age group to photograph. Their personalities are huge, and I love capturing that stage. It requires lots of running around in a crouched position and playing peekaboo. This little guy wasn't exactly won over by my charm, but I love the photos of him Not Having Any of This.

Extended Family Portraits in Plano: The Hoffmans

The Hoffmans have graced this blog many times in one way or another over the years. Allison's bridal portrait session was my very first. I've also captured Hoffman senior portraits, birthday parties, and family portraits. We've done one other big group family session, back in 2012. Their family has seen a new grandbaby, a marriage, engagements, and several high school graduations since then. Needless to say, the "kids" are no longer little! There are a few new faces since the last session as well, so the group has grown. I love doing big sessions like these. They can be crazy, but I enjoy the challenge. Allison is a costume designer, so I know I can always count on her family to have outfits that coordinate well. This session is definitely going in my folder of inspiration for clients who need a little help deciding what to wear.

Bluebonnet Family Portraits in Plano

Last weekend, I met up with this adorable family at a bluebonnet field on the border of Plano and Frisco, Texas. I was delighted to see that there were some bright red poppies growing among the bluebonnets for a little extra festive Spring color. With a 4-year-old and an almost 2-year-old running in opposite directions (and not super keen on the Being Photographed thing), I had my work cut out for me, but I captured some very sweet photos of the whole gang.

Extended Family Portraits at the McKinney Cotton Mill

Sometimes when you're working with a large group and many conflicting schedules, it's worthwhile to rent an indoor space for your session. This extended family could only fit in a portrait session on one rare day that everyone was in town and available, so we absolutely couldn't be rained out. It's a good thing we had a studio space at the McKinney Cotton Mill reserved, because the weather was yucky after all! This session is probably my record for the number of children under the age of 6. There were a lot of little ones to wrangle, but the kiddos did a pretty good job of working with me and we wound up with sweet keepsake photos of the whole gang.

A Washington Vacation

Last month, I took advantage of the slower photography season to sneak up to Washington state for a week to visit my family. I'm a native Texan, but my parents and my sister all migrated up to Washington over the last 8 years. My parents have a spare bedroom, a large supply of tea, a scrabble board, and plenty of chairs for reading and relaxing, so it was exactly my kind of vacation. They have a serious lack of Blue Bell ice cream, but somehow I survived.

On one of my first days in town, my parents and I ventured up to Mount Rainier National Park, and of course my camera came along.

In between visits to coffee shops, restaurants, and antique stores, I walked the Rails to Trails path in Puyallup with my parents, and got a few photos of the happy couple. They're celebrating their 39th anniversary this week!

The backyard is a beautiful haven at every home my parents have owned in my lifetime. Their cat Allister sure enjoys exploring the yard. [Side note: Allister is my cat Calypso's brother. They both started life as stray kittens born in my sister's carport in Washington.] I enjoyed the unseasonably beautiful weather while Texas was being hit with sleet and snow. 

I arranged a portrait session with my sister's beautiful family on one of my last days in town. We tromped around an abandoned dairy farm, working around several other photographers with the same great idea.

I've still got quite a bit of family in Texas, but I sure do miss these Washington transplants!

Arbor Hills Family Portraits in Plano: The Siadatis

I'm always grateful for referrals, because they bring me clients every bit as awesome as my referring client! A big thanks to Sepideh for sending the Siadatis my way. We had a lovely late Spring session at Arbor Hills in Plano.