What season should I book my senior portrait experience?
Summer? Fall? Spring? Winter?
I get asked this question all the time! Since I focus on highlighting your personality during your session, the season and outfit choices play a big role. It’s always best to book out a few months in advance. Especially if you want a date during peak season because those book up early & fast! So here’s a bunch of tips to help you pick your best senior portrait season.
- Ask yourself these questions when deciding: what colors am I drawn to most? Bright & bold, soft & pastel, warm & jewel-tones, you get the point.
- Do you prefer warm weather with cute, flowy dresses and crops with jeans, or do you prefer to layer up for fall with warm tones, sweaters, and boots?
- Are you drawn to cities with chic, urban architecture or do you prefer nature, flowers, and greenery? City sessions look good all year so I’ll mostly focus on nature for this post.
Spring – April
Spring shoots are for nature lovers. April is perfect for soft pastels. It has blooming Magnolia and cherry blossom trees along with all the fresh sprouts and pastel colors of spring!
Spring – May
In May, think blooming tulips, lush greenery, and more bold floral colors. The weather is warm, but not hot, so you can still wear summery outfits, but add variety. Your hair stays curled and your makeup isn’t melting off.
Summer – June
Blooms in June have been absolutely incredible the past few years!! A lot of them tend to die off in the high heat over summer so if you’re into florals, don’t sleep on June! The greens are full and you might even get a few wildflowers in the field.
Summer – July
July is my most popular month. It’s also been unbearably hot the past few years. Which is I will always suggest mixing in a city location. Depending on your hair type, you may have a love/hate relationship with summer’s humidity. Keep that in mind when picking your date.
Summer – August
If you want a field with flowers, they usually bloom around mid- August!
Summer/Fall – September
The past few years summer weather has extended well into September. Weeks 2-3 of September are still warm enough to wear summery clothes but way less humidity! It’s actually a personal favorite of mine.
Fall – October
Fall shoots = fall tones. As the leaves change, the warm, rich tones in the fall are like no other. The light gives off more of a moody feel.
The temperature is warm enough and the humidity is low. You can layer up or not. Think about deep, rich colors or earth tones for this time of time of year when shopping. If you want those true fall tones, mid October is usually best.
Fall – November
Early November can still have some great fall tones. By mid- November, I encourage city only sessions.
Winter (january. february. march)
Winter shoots are super fun, but can definitely be tricky to schedule. I know I said that summer light was the best, but if you’re lucky enough get a sunny day immediately after snowfall, like this one, it is magical!
For winter sessions, I will only shoot one outfit outdoors. Trust me, no matter how much you love the cold, your facial expressions will look stiff and your skin gives off a different hue when you’re cold. You’ll get more variety and won’t freeze too much with the other outfits being indoors! I only shoot winter sessions when the weather is above 30 degrees for safety purposes.
Studio | when season doesn’t matter
Studio sessions, when senior portrait season doesn’t matter. I love experimenting in my studio! We are located in the main village in Poland. I’ve kicked around the idea of starting sessions at the studio then venturing out into nature or the city. I love a minimalistic approach in the studio.
Hope that helped in making your decision! If you have more specific questions, don’t hesitate to email me with questions.
