What Time of Year Should I Do a Family Session?

Lighting is key in any photo session.  And then there's the colors of the place we'll shoot, and the weather, and whether or not your child has eaten or napped or has a runny nose.  

The thing I always start with is the light.

Because, depending on where we go, that will affect a lot of the other factors.  Not the runny nose.  That's just a fact of childhood.  But light is hugely different based on time of day, and where we're shooting.  And time of day will affect whether your child has slept, or eaten, or needs to go to sleep.  We can only control so much, but I love to be able to offer families sessions at a reasonable hour.

A lot of people, understandably, want to do family sessions in the mountains, with long views behind them.  Which is, obviously, gorgeous and timeless, and perfectly Colorado.

But it's also a shot that works only with certain light.  

I recommend families book mountain shoots with long views during Golden Hour -- the hour before sundown.  Which, in summer, can be as late as 8:30pm start times.  Not great for (most) human children.  This photograph (above) was possible because it wasn't too bright.  The family above wanted mountain views, so they opted for a 3:45pm start time in November.  

Another benefit to shooting in late fall and winter is there aren't crowds, even at popular spots.  Not as many hikers, not as many photographers.  Much more intimate and quiet -- two things I absolutely treasure for family sessions.

In the spring and summer, when days are long, I offer shooting locations with cover from the sun in gorgeous wooded areas.  No long views, but these spots are absolutely beautiful in a different way.  Majestic, bold, incredibly meaningful, and, to be clear, also very Colorado.

Mosquitoes can be annoying, but, in my opinion, they're worth it for such a gorgeous location.  This photograph (above) was taken in late June.

Below is an example of a mountains photo session in the fall.  These photographs are from late October.  We met at 5pm, and did a lot of shooting in the shade before going to do some with a small view of the mountains.  The sun never went low enough to get long views, but I still love the mountain-feel of these photographs.

My feeling is, you can't go wrong with a photo session in Colorado.  There are so many gorgeous places.  Just be aware that lighting may affect where we can shoot, and what time of day will work best.  You've got to consider your child's schedule, and what's best for their mood.  An unhappy child isn't going to have a great time during a session. Let's do everything we can to help them have a wonderful, fun photo shoot!  That's a huge win, in my book.

Of course, I love a wooded area any time of year.  And not just for the mid-day joy of it.  Here are some winter and fall sessions in the woods.  The light is always gorgeous, and there are so many fun things for kids to explore and find.  

The above photograph is from early November.  The photograph below is from late November.

The long of the short of it is: any time of year is the perfect time of year for a photo shoot.  Just be flexible about where to go, and trust me.  We'll find ourselves in a stunning location with beautiful, love-filled photographs of you and your sweet family in this moment of time.