Great Places to take photos Around Austin, Tx

Aug. 14. 2012

Iconic Austin shots and then some…

Recently I have developed quite an interest in portrait photography. I wanted to share some couple photos I have taken around Austin (all engagement photos). Still learning, I have done these for free and taken an interest in photoshop touch-ups as well. So forgive my amateur-ness, but hope this gives you any ideas to taking photos around town, or even friends visiting Austin, or just something to “check out” if you haven’t done so yet

. If interested in having your photos taken, let me know-somehow in my busy schedule, I manage to make it work and really enjoy doing this!

Great places to take photos around Austin:

#1 Mayfield Park

Mayfield is known for its brightly colored peacocks running around. There is also a lot of stone work, ponds, flowers, and all maintained by the City. There are trails as well as a running creek toward the bottom, great place for all sorts of photos!

#2 Hotel San Jose (out front)

#3 Jo’s Coffee, the side mural, S. Congress

Depending on your lighting and exposure, you can manipulate the color saturation of this mural, as I did above in each photo. The middle photo was taken in the evening, around 7ish, while the other two were taken midday.

#4 Blue tiled wall, East 5th Street close to Neches

 #5 Tesoro’s Trading Co. along S. Congress-mural on side of building (Elizabeth and Congress)

I love the color pop here.

#6 Behind Guero’s-love the brick surrounding

This is the side of the building, below the windows.

This is behind the building.

#7 UT campus, Longhorn grads usually want some photos near the towers or one of the many fountains 🙂

I made the props here, inspired by Pinterest of course!

#8 Zilker Botanical Gardens

This place does have restrictions for photos, and if being paid fees are involved as well, all rules and regulations can be found online.

#9 Greetings from Austin Mural, S. 1st and Annie (easy to miss if headed South on S. 1st, it is on the side of Roadhouse Relics, on the West bound side of the street

I am a big fan of “jumping” photos, just looks so playful!

Almost always parked outside Roadhouse Relics is this awesomely color aqua-ish old school truck. Also great for photos and nice color!

 

#10 Venturing on over to the East side-random tid bits. If you head by Progress Coffee shop and walk East, there’s a few spots that I like to take photos at. On the Northbound side of the street are a few little designs painted on the concrete of this blockade (see below).

Across the street on the South side, what I think now is a farmer’s market or at time a concert venue used to be an Art place. There are a few painted warehouse doors–

#11 Cenote Coffee shop. Also on the East side, cute couches, nice patio tables outside and splashes of color, sure there are plenty of Austin coffee shops, but I found this one had more charm (plus my friend owns it-keep Austin weird, support local!)

#12 Another East Austin Mural (which can also be found on 5th and Congress in different colors) ‘Til Death Do Us Part Mural.

#13 Lamar People’s Bridge. Sure there are lots of great skyline shots around Austin, and from the S. 1st and S. Congress bridge, but this one I like because you have great East and West views encompassing some of the best parts of Austin.

 

This photo above is the West facing views–I hate it when cars get in my shots, but not good at Photoshop to delete it just yet!

The other places I would like to add to my list, but don’t have any examples, because I have yet to take photos there (of other people, I have however gone around with a friend and snapped a few). is

• Rainey Street-the old houses give a nice vintage look, especially Lustre Pearl, in my opinion. Some of the rooms have great color, fireplace, and plenty of nice touches, there are always the outdoor picnic tables and chairs outside as well.
• The Capitol Building-an Austin Icon, or at least a photo in the midst of S. Congress with the beautiful building behind it
• Mt. Bonnell-a scenic and tall point of Austin Tx, with a good enough camera you may be able to capture the city skyline behind your subject
• Paramount Theatre-Another cool building, with great architecture, not sure how I’d go about getting inside there for some photos and getting all those awesome lights on, but definitely could be cool.
• Big Top Candy Shop on S. Congress. Great colors, lots of vintage things that could be used as props (so long as you didn’t break anything and bought a treat I am sure they’d be ok with it)

I know there are plenty of cool Austin places I am missing. Sometimes the coolest/prettiest pictures are ones where people are doing the most natural of things. Sitting on a picnic bench in front of a food trailer, walking in a park, sitting on a porch swing, but hopefully the above list added a few ideas to your list.

If you have any ideas or places that you think are fabulous as well-please let me know! I love hearing new ideas!

If you want to be a subject some time feel free to email me! AshleyBrinkman@gmail.com…Happy to do it, perfecting on my own as I can. Not good at children just yet, but getting there and will post some that I have done soon!

As always, thanks for readin’!

-Ashley Brinkman