Uh Oh...
It’s time to start thinking about your senior photos. But where do you begin? And more importantly, when? As a photographer, the most prominent question I get isn’t about the location or what to wear, or even the cost of the portraits. It’s usually about the timing.... Every season has its pros and con and every person has different preferences. Yes, that may not be the straight forward answer you wanted, but if the answer was straight forward, you wouldn’t have gone searching. Luckily for you, I’m about to review the advantages, and inadvertently, the disadvantages of each time of year. So, without rambling on, let’s begin.
Spring
The beauty of Spring is like no other. The blossoming flowers can invite a beautiful and vibrant background for any senior photo. This time of year is generally warm enough for outdoor photos without being terribly hot, and, even with possible rain, it is a gorgeous time of year. The only real drawback are allergies.
Summer
I’ll be honest, I am not a fan of the heat, the humidity, and the mosquitos. But as long as you can brave those aspects, A summer session is can yield absolutely amazing results. This is a perfect season to incorporate summer hobbies or sports or even just to take advantage of full, lush trees. The other side of the summer season is a ‘rustic look’. If neutral tones are your forte, summer is the perfect season for these types of outcomes. This season can be hard to schedule around vacations, sports obligations, and social activities. But if you can find time during the summer, I promise you’ll love the outcome.
Autumn
Arguably one of the most popular season for photos, the fall creates stunning background that oppose the spring. The yellows, oranges, and reds are like no other when it comes to pictures. (This is actually my favorite time of year for family photos.) These can also help create some really ‘rustic’ moments just like summer but with a little more color.
Winter
Finally, we end with my all-time favorite season. Granted, I strongly dislike the cold, but trust me, the pros far outweigh the cons. Winters are usually a lot less busy than other seasons for photography, so it’s almost a guarantee that your session will be unique compared to your classmates. But Winter is risky and can be really dry. If you do decide to go the Winter route, I recommend trying to find a day that’s lightly snowing or shortly after. Because weather is hard to predict, I do recommend having a backup plan in case the weather doesn't cooperate (I can help you with a backup plan and am pretty accommodating when it comes to rescheduling)
Other Factors
Deadline
One of the most important factors outside what we've already discussed is your school's deadline. Are you taking senior photos for the yearbook? Just for fun? Both of these can make the decision for you. I remember when I was getting senior pictures done, I think my school required that they be delivered by the 2nd semester. So unless I did them at the end of my junior year (which I did not), then Winter and Spring were out of the question (I did mine in Autumn). If you want to incorporate the future into your photoshoot but aren't quite sure what school you'll go to or what's next, maybe you wait until the spring when you have a clearer idea. but if these photos are for you, your family and/or social media and you don't have a restriction, you can really take these whenever you want.
Lighting
Like mentioned above, there are pros and cons to every season. Summer is hot and humid, but perfectly green trees. Fall is not too cold and not too hot, but are over-used in photos (everyone loves fall photos). Winter is beautiful with the reflection of the snow if you can brave the cold. And finally, Spring is perfect to capture some color with blooming flowers, but can be dangerous for those terrible allergies and the weather is more unpredictable). Now, before I sign off, I need to mention the other factors that are going to play a roll your photography session. I always recommend to shoot during golden hour (1st hour after sunrise or last hour before sunset). These are the most beautiful times as the light is most flattering on our skin. Unfortunately, as the days are shorter in the Winter than they are in the Summer, that means you'll have fewer options to book your session when it comes to light during the winter. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just something to think about. Also, as much as I do love golden hour, it isn't a requirement to get amazing photos as plenty of awesome photoshoots happen at other times of the day (or even night)
Outfits
I won't get into this terribly much as I'll have a whole post about this soon, but when deciding to take your senior photos, consider what outfit you want. You're not going to wear a flannel or sweater during the summer on a hot day. Again, I'm not gong to get into it too much, but it is necessary to consider.
I think that's all the information you'll need to decide what season I'll be expecting to hear from you, but remember: Senior photos tend to keep photographers busy, so make sure to book as soon as you can or get in touch if you have any questions about booking that I can clear up! Here is a link to my booking page which will also have my current availability. If you need a custom package built, I am here to help!
