A week and a half ago, Jonathan and I drove from Norman, Oklahoma to enemy territory (Austin, Texas) for one of the most exciting shoots of my career! This had been on the books since January, and after it was postponed from April to June thanks to COVID-19, we were thankful that things fell back into place! One of the scariest parts of a big shoot like this one is finding good locations in an unfamiliar and brand new city. Not only are you looking for good light, good backgrounds, and a good vibe, but you also want things to be convenient for your client when it comes to proximity and parking! I know my go-to spots in Norman, at OU, and in the city well, but I tend to over-prepare when I’m shooting in a new spot and do a ton of upfront research. Knowing that we were going to be in Austin, and my comfort level with shooting on college campuses, UT Austin was a no-brainer! We had this full plan in place, I knew the exact buildings and doors I was going to use (thank you Google maps!), and knew it would be perfect for not only Abby’s professional headshots, but also for her family of 10!

As we approached our session, I began to worry a bit about access to the UT campus. I knew it was in the city, but with how uneasy the world is right now, I wasn’t sure about access on campus with everything being closed, a place for her to change, the heat, etc. The day before the shoot, we made the call to stay in the suburbs, and it was one of the best decisions of the whole weekend! Believe it or not, we actually did the entire session at St. William Catholic Church and it could not have been more perfect!

The next morning though, I was eager to explore the UT campus with Jonathan!

I can’t believe how beautiful UT is. It’s honestly kind of annoying haha. The university has a completely different vibe than OU, which made it SO much fun to explore. I felt like a little kid in a candy shop – I LOVE shooting college campuses! The blue doors across one section were a dream come true – you better believe I was swooning because this blue is MY COLOR!!! The details, intricacies, ivy walls, statues – it was all so picturesque. I hope we have the opportunity to go back and visit!

We couldn’t have ended the trip without a visit to Franklin BBQ! COVID kind of came in clutch because we got to pre-order online, and wait in our car instead of in the heat! Let me know if you’ve been, or if you have a favorite spot on the UT campus!