Choosing the Perfect Spot for your Outdoor Family Photo Session | Denton Family Photographer

Choosing a location for your family photography session has a lot to do with you, your style, and your personality. It’s important to consider what you’re imagining for your session as far as the location you choose and what time of day you choose it. Here are a few things to consider as you think about where you’d like to have your family photos, as well as well loved spots around the Denton area. 

Your personality and preference plays a big role in the location that you choose. What are you more drawn toward? Do you like the quirkiness of a downtown area? The textures of the walls and the hustle and bustle of the people around? Or do you enjoy the quiet Texas fields with the sun behind you and your family? Would you prefer to play in water and leave footprints in the sand? Or do you like a lot of trees surrounding you? Think about what you enjoy looking at, and where you’d prefer to be.

Definitely as you’re considering the location of your session, keep in mind who will be there with you. If you’ve got young children, you may want a location that is a little more secluded so that they have a room to roam around in case they need a little break. More practically, it might be important to have a bathroom nearby, so you can ask your photographer about that as well. You may also keep in mind the best location to get your children to genuinely smile, such as at the lake where they can throw rocks or splash in the water. Maybe you and your family enjoy going downtown for ice cream or to browse the bookstore. Downtown might be an ideal location to help preserve those memories. Ask your photographer if the location you have in mind is nice both at sunrise and sunset. Think about who is coming, and how the location will serve all of you best. 

A couple of things that go hand in hand will also affect your decision for your session location. Where you want to hang your photos and the color scheme you’d like to be wearing. With Stephanie Gardner Photography, you will always be encouraged to wear what you feel comfortable in and what feels the most like you. But, it is important to think about how you can utilize location to extenuate the colors you are wearing. There is another blog that goes into more detail on what to wear to your session. But in short, for example, a flowing deep maroon dress could look great anywhere, but it will look especially pretty in the neutral brown fields with dark green trees and deep blue skies. A light pink might be beautiful in the blue and pink sunrise on the lake. You can’t go wrong with a carefully curated outfit that looks like you, but the location can really make it pop and look especially beautiful as decor on your wall! Think about the colors you want to incorporate in your pictures and how the location will affect them. 

And as promised, if you are in the Denton or surrounding areas and are looking for some location ideas, I have some great ones for you! At this time, the Denton area is not overly saturated with people which is so nice when you are taking photos. While it’s possible and sometimes necessary to take photos with tons of people around, it’s very nice to have some space and not worry about parking or taking turns for spots (although patience is a virtue). 

1. Clear Creek Heritage Center: This location has beautiful fields and scenic trees. It’s perfect for golden light photos, and is the most popular spot for Stephanie Gardner Photography. 
2. Lake Ray Roberts: Lake Ray Roberts has an entrance fee if you do not have a park pass, but there are miles and miles of beautiful scenery, including the lake and the sand. This location is perfect for both sunrise and sunset, and pretty much covers all of your outdoor needs like fields, trees, and water. 
3. South Lakes Park: South Lakes Park can be beautiful in the fall with the changing leaves, and has back trails that are perfect for photos. 
4. Wedding Venues in the surrounding small towns: Wedding venues in Texas small towns tend to be on acres of land that is well kept and great for photos. This is another popular choice among clients, as we have options to take pictures by a white barn, nicely groomed flowers, or the natural scenery of trees and fields. Just be sure your photographer has permission first, and sunrise sessions are ideal during wedding season. 
5. Downtown Denton Square: If you’re looking to switch it up a bit from the natural environment to fun textures and buildings, the Downtown Denton Square is a perfect spot for you and your family. From the courtyard and courthouse to quirky shops, colors and murals, this is a fun option for your family session. Plus, there’s built in fun. Don’t forget to stop by Beth Marie’s or Gnome Cones for dessert. Or grab a coffee from West Oak or a root beer from Atomic Candy to drink as you smile. 

Finding an ideal location is an important decision when it comes to taking family photos, but don’t let it stump you. These sessions are about capturing you and your family’s authentic connections with each other. Wherever you are, your personality will come out, so be yourself and enjoy yourself no matter what location you choose!