A King William Family Portrait

If you are worried that your family portrait session is going to be a big chore, then I am here to change your mind. I am of the opinion that family photo shoots should be thought of as family play dates. My recent King William family portrait session with Julie and Jen‘s family proves this to be the case, and I’ve got all the details in today’s blog post. So, set aside your preconceived notions of how formal your family portraits need to be. I’m here to sell you on a fun filled adventure in front of my camera.

Meet Jen and Julie’s Beautiful Family

Let’s start off with the basics of meeting Jen and Julie’s family. Jen found me online while looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. And what better gift to give then a family portrait session, no? I sent her a gift certificate to print out and present on Mother’s Day. A few days later, we made arrangements for the photo shoot in June. The date was set, and I was going to arrive at 6 PM to meet with Julie, Jen and their two teenage children, along with their two dogs. In my book, fur babies are family.

The King William Neighborhood

The family lives in a wonderful, historical home right in the heart of the King William neighborhood. Why go anywhere else when you have such a beautiful venue as a starting point?

I kept our photo shoot strictly within the bounds of the client’s home, but if you have never taken a walk down the gorgeous, tree-lined streets of the King William neighborhood, then you are in for a treat. The neighborhood is one of the oldest in San Antonio. Each house is distinct, and carries with it years and years of history. While technically bounded on the north and south by Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Eagleland Drive respectively, you’ll find the grandest homes located north of Pereida Street.

Parks and Architectural Highlights

In addition to taking photos on the street in front of these homes, there is a tiny park on Washington Street, conveniently called King William River Park. This park butts up against the River Walk. It is just a sliver of grass, but it does provide a tiny bit of green space if you need a park area for little ones to run around. You also have the central gazebo found at the triangle of King William, Turner, and Washington Streets. This gazebo marks the heart of the King William neighborhood and incidentally is also the meeting point for King Krampus at the end of the Krampus parade.

A King William Family Portrait – How It Started

I’ll be honest, this family portrait session started off a little rocky. Of course, everyone is always a bit nervous when the photographer shows up at your door. If you haven’t had your photo taken in a while, having to smile for the camera is a daunting experience. I always try to make my sessions a fun and enjoyable experience, but I know there’s no getting over the initial nerves.

I started off by having the family walk together across the front lawn. Then we launched into some classic photos right in front of the house on the steps, followed by some photos of the kids alone in the front yard. These were great, but the smiles were…meh. I just felt like we weren’t getting the real soul of the family. This is a family that likes to get together and have fun. So, how do you bring that out?

A King William Family Portrait – How I Got Everyone To Loosen Up

We transitioned from the front yard into the living room. This helped considerably because everyone got out of the heat. At this point, I told everyone to just play with the dogs and to forget about having to pose for the camera. Just sit on the couch and enjoy yourselves. That worked…a bit. Smiles started to come out, and the family began to enjoy themselves. After a few shots on the couch, we then took a tour of the rest of the house and made our way to the backyard. And this is when the transformation happened.

I asked the family, ‘What would you be doing if I weren’t here with my camera?’ They answered that they would be playing in the backyard doing various sports, lying in the hammock, or enjoying some wine and cheese on the patio furniture. So, I said, pop open that bottle of wine and let’s get the basketball out. It’s time to do exactly what you would be doing on your weekend.

A King William Family Portrait – Documentary Photography is the Trick

My point here is that photo shoots don’t have to be stiff or forced. To me – especially as someone who personally hates to have her photo taken – the best photo of you is always going to be the one taken when you don’t know the camera is on you. As such, documentary photography is a fantastic friend to families that may be a little nervous in front of the camera.

You shouldn’t think of your photo shoot as something where you have to sit there and stiffly smile. You can move, play, hug, dance – do whatever you want. And by the virtue of the fact that it’s still photography, no one will ever know how bad your dance moves are. There is no video evidence.

A King William Family Portrait – Photo Time = Play Time

Once Jen and Julie’s family started actively playing, it was like a everyone could breathe easy. Their daughter had a blast on the swings, and then had her own private basketball match with Julie. Their son hung out in the hammock, and both kids enjoyed a popsicle at the end of the photo shoot. Both moms kicked back with a glass of wine, and really got to relax. We all had a great time, and for all of them, relaxing was not something they thought they would be able to do during the photo shoot. Can you imagine actually having fun during a family portrait session? Well, I can.

Active Photo Shoots – Examples

I have discussed active photo shoots before in previous blog posts. I’m a firm believer that if you are nervous in front of the camera, then doing something goes a long way to take your mind off the fact that you are having your photo taken. Rather than thinking about how much you hate being photographed, you can instead concentrate on an activity you really enjoy. Some of these activities might include:

Cooking together (baking a cake, grilling up a barbecue, making a family recipe)
Doing an art project together (perfect for kids of all ages)
Performing music together (get the family band together!)
Participate in sports (football, catch, soccer, you name it)
Take an adventure together (go on a hike, and bring your photographer)

Sure, there will be points along the way where everyone will look into the camera and smile. But by then, you will be having so much fun together that it won’t be such a chore. And that’s the point: the fun overrides the fear.

Final Thoughts

I figure there’s about a month left of summer vacation. I know everyone always wants to do family portraits in the fall when it gets to be a little bit cooler, but how about this: get the family together now when everyone is having fun in the backyard. Sure, it’s hot. But with the kids running around having a blast, aren’t those the memories you want to capture forever?

Oh, one more pro tip: family portrait sessions are a great time to take that LinkedIn photo you have been meaning to update. Just sayin’.

Enjoy the images and I will have more photo adventures for you next week!

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Are you interested in scheduling a family portrait in San Antonio? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how I can help you. I have hourly rates, and all photo shoots include editing and high-resolution files.

To view more images from my family photography portfolio, please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com