What is the Best Season for Family Photos?

Oh, come on! You guys know me by now! Of course, every season is the best season for family photos. BUT, let me tell you why! I’ve laid out the pros and cons of doing family photos in each season.

I’m blessed to live in Virginia, where we get all four seasons, each offering a different look than the others. Here’s what a dozen years of photographing families has taught me:

Fall Family Photos

Let’s start with the most popular of family photo seasons.

Pros for fall family photography

1. Comfortable temps.
   -You can usually get away with long sleeves or some thin sweaters.
   -No one is sweating.
   
2. Vibrant colors of leaves.
   -We usually start with yellow leaves mixing into the green and end with orange and crimson before they drop. They’re really pretty!
   
3. Your kids throwing leaves into the air is pretty dang cute.
   

Cons for fall family photography

1. Scheduling pains.
   – Everyone is tripping over each other to grab the coveted spots in the fall. If you want to book a fall family photo session with me, you need to think about it a year in advance. Yes, a year. I know, it’s crazy. 95% of my fall clients are returning clients, and they get first dibs on the following year’s fall dates. After them, families who’ve had a session within the past two years get priority, then it opens up to the public.
   
2. Crowded venues.
   – Photographers are all flocking to the same places to do their sessions. There are lots of ways around this, though. For one, avoid public parks. I bet your neighborhood, like mine, has lots of great spots for photos. Give that a shot for more intimate images where a bunch of strangers aren’t watching you sit pretty and distracting your kiddos.
   
3. Vibrant colors of leaves.
   – Yes, I know I put this as a pro. It’s also a con. If you’re planning to display your images in your home, it’s always better to complement the room where you’re going to display them. Do you decorate in yellow, orange, and red? Probably not. Most people tend to stick with blues, white, and other neutrals in their homes. Decide if the yellow, orange, and red will clash with your home and schedule accordingly.
   
4. Turnaround time.
   – The fall is the busiest season for your photographer, so it’s going to take them longer than usual to get your images back to you. I’ve learned my lesson and don’t take on more clients in the fall than other seasons… because sleep is important. My turnaround time of two weeks stays pretty consistent. However, many photographers will load up the fall and then take it easy the ensuing months. If you need your photos for holiday cards, find out in advance how long it will take to get your photos.

Winter Family Photography

Winter is perhaps the most under-appreciated season for family photos.

Pros of Winter Family Photography

1. Easy to schedule.
   – So easy. This is the ONLY season where I might be able to get you in the same month you contact me. The other seasons, I’m booked up 6-12 months in advance… which is amazing, by the way. (Thank you!!)
   
2. Lots of neutrals.
   – If you’re planning on displaying the images in your home, this is probably the best season to get matching tones to your decor.
   – Tall tan grasses, brown trees, and evergreen trees (which have a lovely recessive blue tone vs. the yellow-green leaves of deciduous trees.)
   
3. Chance of snow!
   – The nice thing about Virginia winters is that we will often get snow that doesn’t stick to the street but does stick to grass and trees. That means it’s safe to come over for your session and take advantage of the winter landscape! I always leave room in my calendar to reschedule, and I’ll absolutely move you (upon request) to take advantage of potential flurries.
   
4. Lots of snuggles!
   – Unlike the summer, when you can be so sticky hot you don’t want anyone to even think about touching you, in the winter, hugs are welcome and, some might say, essential.
   

Cons of Winter Family Photography

1. It’s cold.
   – Well, duh! Bring your winter coats, gloves, a cute hat. Go with it! Hand and foot warmers are great. You can even wear nice winter coats in your photos (think pea coats, dress coats, etc.). If you don’t love that idea, we’ll drop your coat only for the photos you’re in, and you can put it back on when I’m photographing other family members.
   – Cheeks can get red and noses can get runny. I have Photoshop for that. Don’t let it stop you.
   
2. Actually, there’s no #2. Just one con. If you think of a #2, let me know!

Spring Family Photography

Virginia’s spring sees the largest change in foliage than any other season. Choose your month wisely.

Pros of Spring Family Photography

1. Pretty foliage emerges.
   – I need to cover these separately because it changes so quickly. Here’s what to expect:
   • early April – Some trees will flower (cherry trees and redbuds). Forsythia bushes will bloom as well. Everything else is still dormant and will look winter-like.
   • mid-April – grass starts turning green, usually starting as neon yellow. Yellow-green buds form on trees.
   • late-April – All trees have leaves, grass is settling into deeper green.
   • May – wildflowers start blooming, beginning with yellow varieties.
   • June – white wildflowers and daisies. Grass and trees have turned mature green.
     
2. Comfortable temps (mostly).
   – Early April can still be a little chilly, but is generally nice.
   – By early June, we’re talking pool weather, so expect temps in the 80s.

Cons of Spring Family Photography

1. Rain.
   – It’s Virginia’s wet season. Be flexible. There’s a decent chance you may need to reschedule.
   
2. Scheduling issues.
   – Next to the fall, this is where photographers get another burst of crazy.
   
3. You could plan the entirely wrong outfit.
   – As mentioned, the temps change most dramatically in the spring. From 50s to 80s in the space of a few weeks. It can be hard to decide what to wear. Pro tip: dress in layers.

Summer Family Photography

Squee! My favorite. I know, I’m weird. Or am I?

Pros of Summer Family Photography

1. Sundresses, shorts, flip flops, oh my!
   – The perfect season for those with laid-back styles.
   
2. Beautiful wildflowers everywhere, all season.
   – It’s rare to have your session in the summer and for there not to be something blooming… at least where I do my sessions!
   
3. Easy-ish to schedule.
   This is the second-least popular season, so there’s usually a better chance of getting on the schedule.
   
4. Get in the water!
   We can do photos in the stream that runs through my neighborhood to help you cool off.

Cons of Summer Family Photography

1. It’s hot.
   – And in Virginia, that usually means it’s humid, too. Sessions are ONLY done near sunrise or sunset for cooler temps.
   – It’s hard getting snuggly when you don’t want to feel someone’s 98.6 degrees on top of you. Or is it 97.5 now? You get my drift.
   – Pro tip: Bring a hand towel, ice water, and ice cubes to hold in your hands, and/or an ice pack to drape on your neck to cool off. If it’s 90 or hotter, we’ll reschedule.
   
2. Sweat stains.
   – Yes, I can usually retouch them away, but try to pick cool clothes and fabrics that don’t significantly darken when they get wet.
   
3. Thunderstorms.
   – Storms are forecasted for about 75% of evenings in the summer around here. Usually, those amount to nothing, or just end up going north of me. We’ll be on our toes, usually having to make a go/no-go decision a few hours before your session. I always err on the side of caution.

Here’s my best pro-tip. If you ALWAYS do your family photos in the same season, give the others a try and see which you like best! You might be surprised!

So there you have it! Which is your favorite season for family photos? Will you be considering a different one now?

Ready to schedule your family photo session? Don’t wait! My availability is VERY limited for 2021. (I’m not yet accepting fall 2021 reservations.)