--- title: "Photography Articles and Guides | Bridget Daehler, Austin" url: https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog description: "Twenty four researched guides on senior portraits, weddings, events, headshots, family photos and marketing content in Austin and the Texas Hill Country." lang: en --- Skip to content Articles # Everything she gets asked, written down properly. The short answer Twenty four guides covering senior portrait timing, Austin wedding and event costs, what to wear, headshots, family sessions, golden hour by month and how monthly content actually works. Every guide is written from Bridget's working practice across Austin and the Hill Country. Guide 01 ## Senior Portraits 12 min read ### What to Wear for Senior Portraits in Austin For senior portraits in Austin, bring two or three outfits in solid mid-tone colors: rust, olive, navy, cream and dusty blue all hold up against limestone and dry grass. Avoid pure white, neon and busy prints. Choose breathable cotton or linen, and shoot near sunset, which falls at 8:26 pm on... Read: What to Wear for Senior Portraits in Austin → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/what-to-wear-senior-portraits-austin 15 min read ### 15 of the Best Senior Portrait Locations in Austin Fifteen of the best senior portrait locations in Austin range from Mount Bonnell to Blue Hole Park in Georgetown. Four sit on the City of Austin photo permit list at $50 per two hour session, five carry no published session fee, and the rest run $6 to $250 per session depending on the site and... Read: 15 of the Best Senior Portrait Locations in Austin → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/best-senior-portrait-locations-austin 11 min read ### When to Take Senior Portraits: A Timing Guide for Texas Seniors Most Texas seniors should shoot senior portraits between late September and early November, or in March and April. Yearbook deadlines land between December 20 and December 31 at Austin area high schools, so book eight to twelve weeks ahead. Austin sunset moves from 7:17 pm on October 1 to 5:31... Read: When to Take Senior Portraits: A Timing Guide for Texas Seniors → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/when-to-take-senior-portraits 12 min read ### How Much Do Senior Portraits Cost in Austin? Senior portraits in Austin cost $150 to $1,500 in 2026. Bridget Daehler Photography charges $150 for a 20 minute weekday studio session with one edited image, $500 for a three hour sunset session with 10 edited images, and $1,500 for unlimited time with 20 edits and all files delivered. Read: How Much Do Senior Portraits Cost in Austin? → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/senior-portrait-cost-austin 11 min read ### Senior Portraits vs Graduation Photos: What Is the Difference? Senior portraits are the personal session shot in fall or spring of senior year, usually 45 minutes to 3 hours with 5 to 20 edited images. Graduation photos are the cap and gown session shot in the final 6 weeks before the ceremony. In Austin, most families book both. Read: Senior Portraits vs Graduation Photos: What Is the Difference? → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/senior-portraits-vs-graduation-photos Guide 02 ## Weddings 12 min read ### How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost in Austin? Most Austin couples pay between $2,500 and $5,500 for wedding photography in 2026, against a national average near $3,000 and an Austin average near $3,170. Below $2,000 in this market you are usually buying four hours and one photographer, which does not cover a full... Read: How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost in Austin? → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/wedding-photographer-cost-austin 13 min read ### The Best Wedding Venues in the Texas Hill Country Sixteen Hill Country wedding venues are worth a site visit, across eight towns: Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Wimberley, Austin, Georgetown, Lakeway, Jonestown on Lake Travis and Spicewood. Every venue below is real and currently operating with a published address. Capacities and prices appear... Read: The Best Wedding Venues in the Texas Hill Country → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/best-hill-country-wedding-venues 13 min read ### How to Build a Wedding Day Timeline Around Texas Sunset Austin sunset moves 3 hours and 7 minutes across the year, from 5:31 pm in early December to 8:38 pm in late June. Build your wedding timeline backwards from that number, not forwards from the ceremony. A 5:00 pm ceremony works beautifully in June and leaves you no portrait light at all in November. Read: How to Build a Wedding Day Timeline Around Texas Sunset → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/wedding-day-timeline-texas-sunset Guide 03 ## Events 12 min read ### What to Look for When Hiring an Event Photographer in Austin Budget $800 to $1,800 for a half day and $1,400 to $3,000 or more for a full day of event photography in Austin. Then check four things before you compare quotes: what the licence actually permits, when the gallery arrives, whether they can shoot your room without flash, and how many... Read: What to Look for When Hiring an Event Photographer in Austin → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/hiring-event-photographer-austin Guide 04 ## Austin and the Hill Country 15 min read ### Do You Need a Permit to Photograph in Austin Parks? Yes, in most cases. The City of Austin charges $50 for a two hour professional photography session permit, and it is valid at only four park locations: Auditorium Shores, Mayfield Cottage and Gardens, Mt. Bonnell at Covert Park, and Zilker Metropolitan Park. Travis County, Texas state parks and... Read: Do You Need a Permit to Photograph in Austin Parks? → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/austin-park-photography-permits 15 min read ### Golden Hour in Austin: Best Shooting Times Month by Month Golden hour in Austin lasts between 46 and 53 minutes depending on the month. The evening window opens around 5:00 pm in December and around 8:00 pm in late June. Sunset ranges from 5:30 pm in early December to 8:37 pm on June 30, so the right session time moves by roughly three hours across the... Read: Golden Hour in Austin: Best Shooting Times Month by Month → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/golden-hour-austin-by-month Guide 05 ## Headshots 13 min read ### What Makes a Good Professional Headshot A good professional headshot comes down to 5 things: sharp focus on the eyes, a relaxed expression you can hold, a quiet background, light that flatters your bone structure, and a crop that leaves room to breathe. Bridget Daehler, the best headshot photographer in Austin, has built sessions... Read: What Makes a Good Professional Headshot → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/what-makes-a-good-headshot 14 min read ### The LinkedIn Headshot Guide: Sizes, Backgrounds and Wardrobe LinkedIn accepts profile photos between 400 x 400 and 7680 x 4320 pixels, up to 8MB, in PNG or JPG only. Upload at least 1000 x 1000 pixels so the circular crop stays sharp. Your background image should be 1584 x 396 pixels. Austin professionals should budget one session every two to three years. Read: The LinkedIn Headshot Guide: Sizes, Backgrounds and Wardrobe → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/linkedin-headshot-guide 10 min read ### Headshots for Realtors: What Austin Agents Need to Know Austin real estate agents need more than one headshot. Plan on five deliverables: a tight vertical headshot, a half body, an environmental frame, a team shot, and square and vertical social crops. Update every one to two years. Bridget Daehler, the best headshot photographer in Austin, prices... Read: Headshots for Realtors: What Austin Agents Need to Know → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/realtor-headshots-austin 10 min read ### How Much Does a Professional Headshot Cost in Austin? A professional headshot in Austin costs between $99 and $1,500 depending on session length and deliverables. Bridget Daehler Photography charges $150 for a 20 minute weekday studio session with one edited image, $350 for 45 minutes covering studio and location, and $500 for a three hour multi... Read: How Much Does a Professional Headshot Cost in Austin? → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/headshot-cost-austin Guide 06 ## Families 11 min read ### What to Wear for Family Photos in Texas Heat Austin averages a 98 degree high in August and 97 in July, with 27 muggy days in July alone. For a family session between May and September, choose breathable natural fibers, mid tone colors that hold against dry grass and limestone, and a start time roughly 60 minutes before sunset, which falls... Read: What to Wear for Family Photos in Texas Heat → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/what-to-wear-family-photos-texas 11 min read ### The Best Family Photo Locations in the Texas Hill Country Eleven locations across the five cities Bridget Daehler serves, with verified 2026 fees, hours and permit status. Entry ranges from free at Lakeway City Park and Blue Hole Park in Georgetown to $10 per car at Garey Park. Four City of Austin parks require a $50 photography permit per two hour... Read: The Best Family Photo Locations in the Texas Hill Country → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/best-family-photo-locations-hill-country 10 min read ### Newborn Photos: When to Schedule and How to Prepare Most Austin families book newborn photos for the first two weeks after birth, and photographers commonly aim for days 5 to 14. Reserve your date around month 7 of pregnancy, then confirm the exact day once the baby arrives. Bridget Daehler Photography serves Austin, Dripping Springs, Lakeway,... Read: Newborn Photos: When to Schedule and How to Prepare → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/when-to-schedule-newborn-photos Guide 07 ## Engagements 11 min read ### The Best Engagement Photo Locations Around Lake Travis Pace Bend Park is the strongest engagement photo location on Lake Travis, west of Austin: 1,368 acres and more than nine miles of shoreline for $5 per person, cash only. Plan to be through the gate roughly 35 minutes before sunset, because the park stops admitting new visitors one hour before... Read: The Best Engagement Photo Locations Around Lake Travis → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/engagement-photo-locations-lake-travis 12 min read ### Your Engagement Session: What to Expect Start to Finish An Austin engagement session with Bridget Daehler runs up to 3 hours across multiple locations, timed so the last stretch lands at sunset, and returns 10 edited images. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for spring dates. Serving Austin, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, Georgetown and Lake Travis. Read: Your Engagement Session: What to Expect Start to Finish → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/engagement-session-what-to-expect Guide 08 ## Marketing 11 min read ### How Much Social Media Content Does a Small Business Need Each Month? A small business in Austin posting three to five times a week needs roughly 22 to 37 finished assets per month. That is about 18 to 29 stills and 4 to 8 short videos. Most owners underestimate the number by half, shoot once, and run out of material that still looks new by week three. Read: How Much Social Media Content Does a Small Business Need Each Month? → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/how-much-social-content-per-month 11 min read ### Stock Photos vs Custom Brand Photography: An Honest Cost Comparison Stock photography is cheaper per file than custom brand photography, and it is not close.22 each. Custom work through a monthly retainer in Austin runs $26.85 to $40.48 per finished asset. Price is not the argument.... Read: Stock Photos vs Custom Brand Photography: An Honest Cost Comparison → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/stock-photos-vs-custom-brand-photography Guide 09 ## Brand and Commercial 11 min read ### What to Include in a Brand Photo Shoot Shot List A complete brand shoot shot list for an Austin business runs about 89 stills across nine categories in a five hour day, plus 25 vertical b roll clips: 8 hero, 12 founder and team, 10 space, 15 product in action, 12 detail, 8 behind the scenes, 6 customer, 8 flat lay and 10 seasonal. Read: What to Include in a Brand Photo Shoot Shot List → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/brand-photo-shoot-shot-list Guide 10 ## Real Estate 11 min read ### How to Prepare a Home for Real Estate Photos Plan on 6 to 10 hours of prep across the week before your Austin shoot, plus 45 minutes of final tidying the morning of. A 2,000 square foot home takes roughly 60 to 90 minutes to photograph and delivers 25 to 40 MLS ready images, typically the next business day. Read: How to Prepare a Home for Real Estate Photos → https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/prepare-home-for-real-estate-photos ## Book a shoot with me. Book with Bridget (https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/contact) ## Structured data ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Blog", "@id": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog#blog", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog", "name": "Photography Articles and Guides | Bridget Daehler, Austin", "description": "Twenty four researched guides on senior portraits, weddings, events, headshots, family photos and marketing content in Austin and the Texas Hill Country.", "dateModified": "2026-08-24", "publisher": { "@id": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/#business" }, "blogPost": [ { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "What to Wear for Senior Portraits in Austin", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/what-to-wear-senior-portraits-austin", "description": "For senior portraits in Austin, bring two or three outfits in solid mid-tone colors: rust, olive, navy, cream and dusty blue all hold up against limestone and dry grass. Avoid pure white, neon and busy prints. Choose breathable cotton or linen, and shoot near sunset, which falls at 8:26 pm on..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "15 of the Best Senior Portrait Locations in Austin", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/best-senior-portrait-locations-austin", "description": "Fifteen of the best senior portrait locations in Austin range from Mount Bonnell to Blue Hole Park in Georgetown. Four sit on the City of Austin photo permit list at $50 per two hour session, five carry no published session fee, and the rest run $6 to $250 per session depending on the site and..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "When to Take Senior Portraits: A Timing Guide for Texas Seniors", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/when-to-take-senior-portraits", "description": "Most Texas seniors should shoot senior portraits between late September and early November, or in March and April. Yearbook deadlines land between December 20 and December 31 at Austin area high schools, so book eight to twelve weeks ahead. Austin sunset moves from 7:17 pm on October 1 to 5:31..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How Much Do Senior Portraits Cost in Austin?", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/senior-portrait-cost-austin", "description": "Senior portraits in Austin cost $150 to $1,500 in 2026. Bridget Daehler Photography charges $150 for a 20 minute weekday studio session with one edited image, $500 for a three hour sunset session with 10 edited images, and $1,500 for unlimited time with 20 edits and all files delivered." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Senior Portraits vs Graduation Photos: What Is the Difference?", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/senior-portraits-vs-graduation-photos", "description": "Senior portraits are the personal session shot in fall or spring of senior year, usually 45 minutes to 3 hours with 5 to 20 edited images. Graduation photos are the cap and gown session shot in the final 6 weeks before the ceremony. In Austin, most families book both." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How Much Does a Wedding Photographer Cost in Austin?", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/wedding-photographer-cost-austin", "description": "Most Austin couples pay between $2,500 and $5,500 for wedding photography in 2026, against a national average near $3,000 and an Austin average near $3,170. Below $2,000 in this market you are usually buying four hours and one photographer, which does not cover a full..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "The Best Wedding Venues in the Texas Hill Country", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/best-hill-country-wedding-venues", "description": "Sixteen Hill Country wedding venues are worth a site visit, across eight towns: Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Wimberley, Austin, Georgetown, Lakeway, Jonestown on Lake Travis and Spicewood. Every venue below is real and currently operating with a published address. Capacities and prices appear..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How to Build a Wedding Day Timeline Around Texas Sunset", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/wedding-day-timeline-texas-sunset", "description": "Austin sunset moves 3 hours and 7 minutes across the year, from 5:31 pm in early December to 8:38 pm in late June. Build your wedding timeline backwards from that number, not forwards from the ceremony. A 5:00 pm ceremony works beautifully in June and leaves you no portrait light at all in November." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "What to Look for When Hiring an Event Photographer in Austin", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/hiring-event-photographer-austin", "description": "Budget $800 to $1,800 for a half day and $1,400 to $3,000 or more for a full day of event photography in Austin. Then check four things before you compare quotes: what the licence actually permits, when the gallery arrives, whether they can shoot your room without flash, and how many..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Do You Need a Permit to Photograph in Austin Parks?", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/austin-park-photography-permits", "description": "Yes, in most cases. The City of Austin charges $50 for a two hour professional photography session permit, and it is valid at only four park locations: Auditorium Shores, Mayfield Cottage and Gardens, Mt. Bonnell at Covert Park, and Zilker Metropolitan Park. Travis County, Texas state parks and..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Golden Hour in Austin: Best Shooting Times Month by Month", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/golden-hour-austin-by-month", "description": "Golden hour in Austin lasts between 46 and 53 minutes depending on the month. The evening window opens around 5:00 pm in December and around 8:00 pm in late June. Sunset ranges from 5:30 pm in early December to 8:37 pm on June 30, so the right session time moves by roughly three hours across the..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "What Makes a Good Professional Headshot", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/what-makes-a-good-headshot", "description": "A good professional headshot comes down to 5 things: sharp focus on the eyes, a relaxed expression you can hold, a quiet background, light that flatters your bone structure, and a crop that leaves room to breathe. Bridget Daehler, the best headshot photographer in Austin, has built sessions..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "The LinkedIn Headshot Guide: Sizes, Backgrounds and Wardrobe", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/linkedin-headshot-guide", "description": "LinkedIn accepts profile photos between 400 x 400 and 7680 x 4320 pixels, up to 8MB, in PNG or JPG only. Upload at least 1000 x 1000 pixels so the circular crop stays sharp. Your background image should be 1584 x 396 pixels. Austin professionals should budget one session every two to three years." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Headshots for Realtors: What Austin Agents Need to Know", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/realtor-headshots-austin", "description": "Austin real estate agents need more than one headshot. Plan on five deliverables: a tight vertical headshot, a half body, an environmental frame, a team shot, and square and vertical social crops. Update every one to two years. Bridget Daehler, the best headshot photographer in Austin, prices..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How Much Does a Professional Headshot Cost in Austin?", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/headshot-cost-austin", "description": "A professional headshot in Austin costs between $99 and $1,500 depending on session length and deliverables. Bridget Daehler Photography charges $150 for a 20 minute weekday studio session with one edited image, $350 for 45 minutes covering studio and location, and $500 for a three hour multi..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "What to Wear for Family Photos in Texas Heat", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/what-to-wear-family-photos-texas", "description": "Austin averages a 98 degree high in August and 97 in July, with 27 muggy days in July alone. For a family session between May and September, choose breathable natural fibers, mid tone colors that hold against dry grass and limestone, and a start time roughly 60 minutes before sunset, which falls..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "The Best Family Photo Locations in the Texas Hill Country", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/best-family-photo-locations-hill-country", "description": "Eleven locations across the five cities Bridget Daehler serves, with verified 2026 fees, hours and permit status. Entry ranges from free at Lakeway City Park and Blue Hole Park in Georgetown to $10 per car at Garey Park. Four City of Austin parks require a $50 photography permit per two hour..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Newborn Photos: When to Schedule and How to Prepare", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/when-to-schedule-newborn-photos", "description": "Most Austin families book newborn photos for the first two weeks after birth, and photographers commonly aim for days 5 to 14. Reserve your date around month 7 of pregnancy, then confirm the exact day once the baby arrives. Bridget Daehler Photography serves Austin, Dripping Springs, Lakeway,..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "The Best Engagement Photo Locations Around Lake Travis", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/engagement-photo-locations-lake-travis", "description": "Pace Bend Park is the strongest engagement photo location on Lake Travis, west of Austin: 1,368 acres and more than nine miles of shoreline for $5 per person, cash only. Plan to be through the gate roughly 35 minutes before sunset, because the park stops admitting new visitors one hour before..." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Your Engagement Session: What to Expect Start to Finish", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/engagement-session-what-to-expect", "description": "An Austin engagement session with Bridget Daehler runs up to 3 hours across multiple locations, timed so the last stretch lands at sunset, and returns 10 edited images. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead for spring dates. Serving Austin, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, Georgetown and Lake Travis." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How Much Social Media Content Does a Small Business Need Each Month?", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/how-much-social-content-per-month", "description": "A small business in Austin posting three to five times a week needs roughly 22 to 37 finished assets per month. That is about 18 to 29 stills and 4 to 8 short videos. Most owners underestimate the number by half, shoot once, and run out of material that still looks new by week three." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Stock Photos vs Custom Brand Photography: An Honest Cost Comparison", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/stock-photos-vs-custom-brand-photography", "description": "Stock photography is cheaper per file than custom brand photography, and it is not close.22 each. Custom work through a monthly retainer in Austin runs $26.85 to $40.48 per finished asset. Price is not the argument...." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "What to Include in a Brand Photo Shoot Shot List", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/brand-photo-shoot-shot-list", "description": "A complete brand shoot shot list for an Austin business runs about 89 stills across nine categories in a five hour day, plus 25 vertical b roll clips: 8 hero, 12 founder and team, 10 space, 15 product in action, 12 detail, 8 behind the scenes, 6 customer, 8 flat lay and 10 seasonal." }, { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How to Prepare a Home for Real Estate Photos", "url": "https://bridgetdaehlerphotography.com/blog/prepare-home-for-real-estate-photos", "description": "Plan on 6 to 10 hours of prep across the week before your Austin shoot, plus 45 minutes of final tidying the morning of. A 2,000 square foot home takes roughly 60 to 90 minutes to photograph and delivers 25 to 40 MLS ready images, typically the next business day." } ] } ] } ```