First Shoot of 2020

Last weekend, I had a need to get behind my camera.  It’s been a while, and I wanted to create some images.  Also, we’re finally a two-car family again.  My husband’s schedule limited my availability for sessions.  I knew that I wanted to conduct the session at the Austin Central Library.  I saw images of the building, and knew that I would conduct a session in as well as around the building.  I posted a Time for Print request in one of my Facebook groups.  A couple of models responded, and I thought that I had someone knew to work with.  However, she didn’t provide her email address for the contract.  In fact, she didn’t confirm until the next morning an hour before the session.  Really?  Anyway, one of the models that I worked with in the past also responded.  I reached out to confirm the time, and send her the contract.

I arrived at the library about 30 minutes ahead of time so that I could scope it out.  The building is beautiful, and there’s so much natural light inside. I looked at pictures before arriving, and tried to locate some of the areas from the pictures.  The main area that I wanted to see was the rooftop garden.  I made my way up to the rooftop, and the views were amazing.  It was also crowded.  It was a beautiful day. 

I made my way back to the first floor just in time to see Sophia and her boyfriend walk into the lobby.  I had two looks, but only went with the first one. We went outside to shoot the grounds around the library because I wasn’t sure that we’d be allowed.  It was 1:00pm so the sun was high in the sky.  We went to the north side of the building when Sophia asked if I had been to Red Bud Isle.  She said that it was a dog park on an island.  I had never heard of the spot before.  Sophia said that it a nice place for images.  If you know me, I have a thing about water so any time I have an opportunity to shoot near water, I’m game.  After hearing about Red Bud, I knew that I had to shoot there.

Red Bud isn’t far from the Austin Central Library, but I missed the turn onto the road so it took me a little longer to get to the location.  When I finally arrived, I found that the parking lot was quite small.  I had to wait for a parking spot, but not very long.   

Red Bud Island is a nice little island with walking trails, and it’s surrounded by water.  The trees alongside the water have roots that form small little islands right next to the shore.  Sophia wanted to sit on one of these little islands.  I was a little nervous, but I’m never one to back down from a challenge. The sun was behind her so my initial images had sun flares that cut interfered with the image.  I changed my position to prevent this from happening.  There’s a time and place for sun flares, and I didn’t want it on these images.

We spent about 30 minutes on the island.  I felt that we captured some nice images, and I really wanted to get home for the football game.  Smile.