Midwest Edition!

So you’re done with junior year (CONGRATS!!!) and now senior year is approaching. It’s that time to start thinking about when is the best time for your senior portraits. Considering what month/season you’d like your senior pictures to be taken in is always best to think about early – photographers can get booked up quickly and you don’t want to miss your chance!

If your school has a deadline for a yearbook photo (which most of them do) that will be a big factor as well. Also, consider if you are thinking about having a graduation party it’s always great to have senior pictures for those invitations as well as sending over graduation announcements!

So, when is the best time for senior portraits? It’s completely up to you! I will walk you through a few pros and cons of each time and season.

Typically senior photos will be done in the spring/summer before your senior year or the fall/winter during your senior year.

Spring Time! – March-May

Spring is a great time for senior portraits but it’s very often forgotten. You can choose to do them before your senior year (while you’re a junior) or you can hold off until the spring of your senior year right before graduation!

Pros:

• Beautiful lush greens and spring flowers! So many areas will be blooming and beautiful during this time and into the summer.
• More comfortable temperatures. Middle to end of spring especially it won’t be too hot or too cold for photos and will be a nice temperature for everyone involved. No sweating off your makeup or ruining your clothes!
• Go ahead and get it done! Getting your photos done early on is always helpful in making sure you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the year. No deadlines to meet or worries to have.

Cons:

• It can still be chilly in Minnesota/Midwest in early spring!
• If the snow is still melting in the location you’d like to do your photos than you may need to wait just a bit or have a back-up. Sometimes it can make for a not so pretty backdrop.
• The weather may be just a little unpredictable with it being rainy and a little chilly in this time of year.

Summer (June – August)

Summer is one of my favorite times for senior portraits! I am partial to longer days, beautiful greens, warm weather, and wildflower fields at their peak! Let’s head to the lake and get some great images!

Pros:

• SO MUCH SUN! If you’re wanting bright sunny images with that golden glow – STOP HERE. Summer time is for you.
• Warm weather means a great opportunity for ALL the dresses and outfits for your images.
• The schedule is much more flexible. For both you and the photographer! Sports and activities will usually take a break around this time so you may have a bit more time on your hands to plan out your session.
• More time for sunsets! Since the sun doesnt set until about 9PM in the summer you’ll have much more time to get all the shots that you want before the sun goes down.
• A summer session means that you will meet your year book deadline as they are typically due in the fall. For fun images for your yearbook make sure to book early to guarantee you get them back on time.

Cons:

• Chances of it being TOO hot. If your face gets really red when you’re hot than it may be better to schedule your session either really early morning or late in the day when the sun is not so high and bright.
• Mosquitos! They can be a pain in the butt and make your shoot not as enjoyable. I love getting photos on the water or near the water and it can be the worst in those cases! I do tend to carry bug spray with me for cases such as these!
• Speaking of bugs – bees! Even though I dont mind bees too much they can be a bit distracting. If you are like me and are just not a fan of bugs in general – no matter which one it is!
• Lots of crowds. Being that we are in Minnesota where it’s cold 9 months out of the year, most people are taking full advantage of the summer and getting outside! This means most popular locations will bit a bit crowded. Most of the time it’s no problem and can be worked around though. We can definitley find some remote locations that are typically a bit more empty though. Don’t worry and trust that I’ll make your images look amazing either way.

Fall (September – November)

Pretty sure fall is my absolute favorite season! The colors, the clothes, the crisp air! I love it all. In my opinion – the best time for senior portraits!

Pros

• All the fall colors! This time of year serves us with beautiful red and orange tones that complement so many different looks. The best time for fall colors is mid-to end of October (sometimes earlier depending on how far north you are).
• The temperatures are cooling down. In September you will get some perfect temps where it’s not too hot or cold. If the summer is too much for you than this is definietely the time to take advantage of.
• Gorgeous glowy golden hours! A fall sunset is by far my favorite and make for amazing photos!
• These colors will match well with most home decor and your wall art will look great with anything.

Cons

• Windy days. Keep in mind – I think a bit of wind can really add a little razzle dazzle to a session. (imagine the wind as your own personal hair fan like Beyonce). BUT when the wind starts getting crazy it may be too distracting (or too cold) to pose and pay attention to what you’re doing.
• Still a bit of crowds. Since the fall is such a nice quiet time of year there can still be quite a few people out and about.
• The sun is beginning to set much earlier by late fall so by 7PM-ish it’s already dark or near dark.
• Fall is an EXTREMELY busy time for photographers. My dates fill up very quickly since by this time people are also planning holiday photos. Make sure to book early to get the date you want with me!

Winter (December – February)

I know it’s so cold but oh the snow can be so gorgeous! The best time here in Minnesota will like be January/February for snow pictures.

Pros

• Winter sessions can get neglected for a few reasons – it’s cold and the snow can be monotone. But they can get also be so beautiful and unique since less people will choose winter.
• Way less crowds! Even in the popular places like tree farms, there will still be much less people to work around.
• Not everyone gets snow so it’s a cool way to show off where you live and have fun playing in the snow!
• If you are wanting to go for that bright, clean look than this is the perfect time of year for you. Not to mention lots naturally diffused light since there are often clouds and only peaks of sun in the winter! Gorgeous!

Cons:

• Cold, cold, cold! I know – super obvious one right? Having your photo session in cold temps can be challenging at times but I have lots of tips on how to stay warm during your session. If it’s ever TOO cold than a reschedule can always be arranged. Your safety is important!
• Early sunsets. Sessions in the winter need to be scheduled quite early since it gets dark so early. 2-4PM is around the latest or we’ll be in the dark!
• No golden hour which means no golden photos. The clouds can be quite prominent in the winter but this also means you get very little shadows and bright photos due to the snow and sun.
• Winter means you will likely have missed your yearbook deadline since they are typically due sometime in the fall.

Each moment of the year has it’s own beauty.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

No matter what season you choose just make sure that it’s right for you! The best time for senior portraits is whatever season works best for you and your vision. Keep yearbook deadlines in mind or any need for photos for grad invitations and things like that. If you need any other tips and tricks just comment below! I hope these were helpful and I can’t wait to meet you!