Austin’s graffiti walls are basically an ever-changing art gallery, which makes them one of my favorite go-to spots for seniors who want something colorful, bold, and a little edgy. Here are the spots we head to most, what each one is actually like to shoot at, and real sessions from each so you can see it in action.
1. Jerry’s Artarama in Austin
Address: 6010 N Interstate Hwy 35, Austin, TX 78752
Mural Turnover: Fairly stable, but always worth noting the walls do change every few years.
Crowds: Usually quiet, especially if you go when the store itself is closed, plenty of colorful wall left to shoot without a bunch of customers around
Parking: Easy. Free lot, rarely an issue
Why it’s awesome for photos: This is the one I reach for the most for exactly this reason: go when the shop’s closed and you basically have the whole wall to yourself, with easy parking to boot.
Part of Caleb’s senior spotlight was shot right here. See his full session for more →
2. Downtown Austin Murals (Mexic-Arte Museum area)
Address: 417 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
Mural Turnover: High. This stretch gets repainted often, so the exact art you see here may not be there when you shoot
Crowds: Busy, it’s downtown, expect foot traffic
Parking: Downtown parking rules apply, budget extra time
Why it’s awesome for photos: No two visits look the same, which means your photos genuinely won’t look like anyone else’s either.
See more real photos from this area in the full Sixth Street location guide →
3. Esther’s Follies Alley
Address: 525 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
Mural Turnover: Low, this alley has held its look for a while
Crowds: Can get busy since it’s right off 6th Street, evenings especially
Parking: Downtown parking, plan ahead
Why it’s awesome for photos: It doesn’t look like anywhere else on this list. Tucked-away and a little unexpected, in the best way.
See Kayley’s full senior spotlight for a real example of this location in action →
4. The Crescent
Address: 6929 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
Mural Turnover: Changes every few years, from what I’ve seen.
Crowds: Low so far in our experience
Parking: Busy on weekdays, but gets busy on weekends and other high-traffic times
Why it’s awesome for photos: This one’s proven itself for more than senior photos. It even worked beautifully for my own daughter’s 10th birthday session, so it’s got range.
5. HOPE Outdoor Gallery
Address: 741 Dalton Ln, Austin, TX 78742
Mural Turnover: Very High Turnover for spots that are not artist owned
Crowds: Low so far in my experience
Parking: Very easy large rock lot
Why it’s awesome for photos: Layers of ever-changing color and art that shift the whole energy of a session. One heads up: it’s outdoors and closes during storms, so build in some flexibility for reschedules if weather’s rough. Also might take some planning depending on their open hours and the time of sunset.
6. Guadalupe St
Address: 2928 Guadalupe St Unit 102, Austin, TX 78705
Mural Turnover: Low. Changes every few years.
Crowds: Can be busy. The area I like has a lot of vintage and thrift shops.
Parking: Pretty easy to park in back, but, again, may dedpend on how busy it is because it’s a popular spot on weekends.
Why it’s awesome for photos: The walkability of this area is really unique, quirky, and fun. Never a dull moment here!
