Dallas Family Photography · November 11, 2026

A Family Session at Lakeside Park in Highland Park

Some families walk the same park every weekend and have never had a single photograph made there. Lakeside Park, in Highland Park, is that kind of place: a pond, a footbridge, tall shade trees and soft grass, all an easy walk from one another.

This session was a family of five, two parents and their three boys. Here is how it went, and why I like the park for families whose kids have opinions about standing still.

A mother, father and their three sons standing together at the edge of the pond at Lakeside Park in Highland Park

Start at the water

We began at the pond’s edge, with the water and trees behind everyone. I like to get the whole family together first, while the kids are still fresh, and then let the session loosen up from there.

Family of five sitting together on the grass in front of the pond at Lakeside Park — Sitting on the lawn by the pond.

Then let everyone move

Once the together frames are done, I stop directing and start following. A hug turns into a squeeze, a joke lands, and the faces I actually want show up. Nobody has to know what to do with their hands.

A mother laughing as her three sons hug and lean in around her on the lawn at Lakeside Park

The footbridge

Most parks have one spot that asks for motion. Here it is the footbridge: a long wooden deck, railings that pull the eye down its length, and dad racing two of the boys toward the camera. It is the kind of frame that no amount of posing produces.

A father and two of his sons running across the wooden footbridge at Lakeside Park toward the camera

Under the trees

Away from the water the park turns shady and green. That is where I slow down: a classic family seat on the grass, and a quiet minute for the parents.

The family sitting on the grass under tall trees at Lakeside Park

A mother and father sitting close together on the lawn under the trees at Lakeside Park

What they wore

The family wore soft neutrals: cream and oatmeal sweaters, crisp white shirts and jeans. Against the greens of the park those tones glow, and nothing competes with their faces. If you are not sure what to wear, I help with styling before your session.

Why Lakeside Park works for families

Short walks. Everything is close, so little legs and grandparents do fine.
Shade. Plenty of it, which keeps squinting down.
Variety. Water, a bridge, lawn and trees within a few hundred feet, so one session gives you several different looks.

Planning your own session

Lakeside Park is one of my go-to locations for families in Highland Park. See my Lakeside Park page for more photographs, and my guide to Highland Park family photography for the other parks nearby, including Flippen Park and Prather Park. To see what a session looks like from start to finish, read what to expect at a Dallas family photo session.

When you are ready, send me a note about your family and I will tell you what is open. I answer every inquiry personally.

Looking for a Dallas family photographer? See how a session works, browse family portrait locations, or read about Highland Park, Bluffview, Preston Hollow, Lakewood, Oak Cliff, and the suburbs: Plano, Frisco, Fort Worth, Southlake.

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‹ What to Expect at a Dallas Family Photo Session