Medina County · 78009
Photographer in Castroville, TX
Weddings and portraits in Castroville — 1840s Alsatian stone architecture and the Medina River, 25 minutes west.
Free consultation
Talk through your date, locations and coverage before you book.
Bilingual — English & Spanish
Se habla español. Families are guided in the language they prefer.
Locally owned in San Antonio
Based in 78211, shooting across Bexar County and the Hill Country.
High-resolution digital files
Every session delivers edited images in a private online gallery.
Valdovinos Photography covers Castroville and Medina County with weddings, engagements and portrait sessions. The town’s preserved 1840s Alsatian architecture and the Medina River give it a look nothing else near San Antonio offers. Call (210) 529-1513 to arrange a session.
Castroville is genuinely unlike anywhere else within an hour of San Antonio. Settled in 1844 by immigrants from Alsace, the town retains dozens of original stone and half-timbered houses built in a European vernacular that simply does not appear elsewhere in Texas. For portrait and wedding work, it is a backdrop with no local substitute.
The town sits on the Medina River twenty-five minutes west of San Antonio on Highway 90, which puts it comfortably within reach for an evening session. The river adds cypress, water and a regional park with open lawn, giving natural options alongside the architecture.
What Castroville does not have is scale. It is a small town, most of the historic buildings are private homes, and the compact centre means sessions here work best for couples and small families rather than for a twenty-five-person extended group.
The Alsatian architecture
The historic district contains original 1840s and 1850s houses in limestone and timber, with steep roofs, small windows and stone walls that photograph with real weight. It suits engagement sessions, bridal portraits and anything wanting a European feel without leaving Texas.
The key constraint is that most of these are occupied private residences. Sessions work from public streets and sidewalks, or with a homeowner’s explicit permission — planning a shoot around a specific house nobody has asked about is how sessions get cut short.
The Medina River and Castroville Regional Park
The regional park on the river gives cypress, open lawn, water and easy parking — the natural counterpoint to the town’s stone. It is also the practical answer for a larger group, since the historic streets have limited room and parking.
Spring is the strongest season here. The river runs higher, the cypress leaf out bright green, and the surrounding Medina County farmland produces genuinely good wildflowers in April.
Locations
Castroville session locations
The Alsatian historic district
1840s limestone and half-timbered houses, steep roofs and stone walls. Shot from public streets, or on private property with the homeowner’s permission.
Castroville Regional Park
Medina River frontage, cypress, open lawn and easy parking. The practical choice for family groups and the natural counterpoint to the stone architecture.
St. Louis Catholic Church
The parish at the centre of the town’s history. Weddings and sacraments are covered subject to the church’s own photography rules, confirmed in advance.
Medina County farmland
Open country surrounding the town, with strong wildflowers in April. Private land requires the owner’s permission.
Services
Photography services in Castroville
These are the sessions booked most often in Castroville. Every service on the site is available here — these are simply the ones that come up first.
Wedding Photography in San Antonio
Full-day ceremony and reception coverage across San Antonio and the Hill Country, with a second shooter available and every image delivered in a private gallery.
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Engagement Photography in San Antonio
A relaxed one-to-two hour session around San Antonio for save-the-dates — and the best possible rehearsal for your wedding day.
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Bridal Portraits in San Antonio
The Texas bridal session — full hair, makeup and dress, weeks before the wedding, without a timeline pressing on you.
Learn morePhotography in Castroville — common questions
Can we photograph at the historic Alsatian houses?
From public streets and sidewalks, yes. Most of the historic buildings are occupied private homes, so anything on the property itself needs the owner’s permission — worth arranging in advance if a particular house is central to your plan.
Is Castroville good for a large family session?
Not in the historic centre, which has narrow streets and limited parking. Castroville Regional Park on the Medina River is the better option for a large group — open lawn, cypress, water and parking close to the shooting areas.
When is the best time of year to shoot in Castroville?
Spring. The Medina River runs higher, the cypress leaf out bright green, and the surrounding Medina County farmland produces genuinely good wildflowers through April. Autumn is the second-best window, with softer light and comfortable temperatures.
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Read moreLooking for a photographer in Castroville?
Call (210) 529-1513 to check your date, or send the details and get an honest quote built around where and when you want to be photographed.
- Free consultation
- Bilingual — English & Spanish
- Locally owned in San Antonio
- High-resolution digital files