A Christmas Surprise - this Family is growing
I love when my clients want to try something new with me. In this case it was having a session at Government Canyon. I've been there to hike several times, but have never done a photography session until this couple was up for it. It's a bit of a drive for those not living on the north side of San Antonio, and there's a small entrance fee to the park. But it offers a lot of beautiful spaces. The park covers 12,000 acres which means you don't see too many people during a session.

This couple wanted to include their three fur babies in the photo session (which is always okay with me). The small pup barks at other people and they wanted to take some photos without leashes on their very well trained dogs. I knew we could find an area off the trail and the park would be less crowded than other parks I know. Government Canyon only allows dogs in the front portion of the park, but it's still plenty of area to work with.
There was a short trek to the open area, but we factored that into our allotted time. They brought a wagon of stuff (see below) for the session so it took a little longer than (and felt longer) than it really was. But they were great sports about the whole thing. And in the end it all worked out great.
Special Announcement
Aside from having a photo for their Christmas card, this couple had a special announcement they wanted to make. I don't provide props for my regular sessions, but am fine if someone wants to provide all of that themselves. This is especially true for maternity or children's birthday photos. Having a sign or cute little baby shoes can be a nice touch.
Note: I do ask that my clients don't bring confetti or other items that can harm the environment. (I have done a gender reveal where they used confetti poppers but that was in their own backyard and they were going to clean that up after their party). Balloons need to be tied to a weight or someone's wrist and taken with you when we leave the session.