The G Family - Downtown McKinney Family Photographer
One of my favorite parts of being a McKinney family photographer is getting to photograph the same families year after year. I've been photographing this family annually for the past several years, which means I've had a front-row seat as their daughter has grown and changed with every session.
This year, we decided to change things up and photograph their family session at Beverly Harris House in Downtown McKinney.
It turned out to be the perfect choice. Beverly Harris House gave us the best of both worlds: beautiful indoor spaces along with outdoor areas that allowed us to create two completely different looks without having to drive to another location.
And this year's photos won't just be staying in an online gallery. We're turning some of their favorites into printed artwork for their home.
One reason I loved using Beverly Harris House for this family photography session was the amount of variety we could create in one place.
We were able to start indoors, where the house gave us a polished, comfortable setting with beautiful natural light. From there, we stepped outside for a completely different feel.
Having access to both indoor and outdoor spaces is especially helpful for a family session. Instead of every image having the same background and feel, the final gallery has variety while still looking cohesive.
For families who want something a little different from a traditional park or field session, a location like Beverly Harris House can be a great option.
Indoor and Outdoor Family Photos in One Session
Whenever I'm choosing a location for a family, I think about more than whether it's simply "pretty." I want a location that works for the people I'm photographing. Can the kids move around? Is there enough variety? Does it fit the family's style? Can we create both the photos everyone wants for the wall and those candid, in-between moments that often become favorites? Beverly Harris House gave us room for all of that.
Inside, we could create more polished family portraits. Outside, everyone could relax a little more, move around and interact.
That combination fits the way I photograph families: some direction when you need it, plenty of movement, and space for the moments that happen naturally.
Your Family Photos Shouldn't Live Only on Your Phone
Digital images are important. I want my clients to have their photos and be able to share them with family, post them online and save them for the future. But there's a big difference between having your photographs and seeing them every day.
A family portrait hanging in your living room becomes part of your home. A framed photograph on a shelf gets seen every time you walk past it. An album gets pulled out years later and suddenly everyone is talking about how little the kids were or laughing about something that happened during that season of life. That's something a folder of images sitting on a computer can't quite replicate.
For this family, we're taking some of the images from their Beverly Harris House session and turning them into printed pieces they can enjoy in their home.
And I'm really excited about that.
Choosing Family Photos for Wall Art
You also don't need dozens of framed photographs covering every wall in your house.
Sometimes one beautiful family portrait is enough. When I'm thinking about an image for family wall art, I usually look for something that feels timeless and represents the family as a whole. It might be the traditional everyone-looking-at-the-camera portrait, but it doesn't have to be.
Sometimes the best image for your wall is the one where everyone is interacting. Maybe the kids are laughing. Maybe you're walking together. Maybe it's a quieter moment that simply feels like your family.
The location matters, too. Colors, clothing, light and the surroundings can all help determine which photograph will look best in a particular space in your home.
That's why it's helpful to think about prints and wall art as part of the photography process rather than something you have to figure out months later.
Prints Become More Valuable With Time
The photograph you print today isn't just for today.
Five or ten years from now, the people in the photo will look different. Your kids will be older. Your home may have changed. Life will have moved forward.
But that photograph will still show exactly what your family looked like during this particular season.
That's what makes photographing this family every year so meaningful to me. We're not just creating another set of pretty pictures. We're adding another year to the visual history of their family.
And this time, some of those memories are going on the walls where they can actually be enjoyed.
Planning Your Own McKinney Family Photography Session
If it's been a while since your last family photos — or if you're ready to start making them an annual tradition — I'd love to photograph your family.
I offer family photography throughout Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Plano and the surrounding North Texas area, with locations selected based on the look you want and what works best for your family.
And once we've created your images, we can think beyond the digital gallery and choose photographs that deserve a place in your home.
