Family Portrait Photographer | Best Time of Year for Outdoor Family Portrait Photography

Summer and Fall are my absolute favorite seasons for family photography because its warmer, sunny, and everything is blooming and changing into beautiful colors! I recently booked my extended families photos this summer and my own family this Fall, we cant wait! Honestly, anytime is a great time to book your families photos, if you’re thinking about them while you read this, then now is the time to book your family photography session! The Pacific Northwest is beautiful all year round but if you’re from here, you know that most of us locals live for these warmer summer months and crisp Autumn days!

The Best Time for Outdoor Photography in the Pacific Northwest

A warm summer evening or crisp Autumn late afternoon session is going to be a stunning backdrop to your families photos. There are a few things to consider when you are thinking about booking your session.

• What do you want to wear?

• What location do you want?

• Time of day you want your photos taken.

Summer Family Portraits

Summer is my favorite season. I love the warm and longer days, they give a warm golden glow which makes stunning photos. If you love wearing lighter, brighter clothing and want a location like the beach, summer may be a great option for you. I do really love ANY location in the summer though! Urban, forest, lake, vistas, or park are beautiful locations to consider also. Summer sessions are casual and beautiful.

I start family photo sessions about one hour prior to sunset to get the best light of the day. Check out my blog on how to prepare your kids for photos, especially for those later summer evening sessions. I have some great tips for kids to have a great time at your session.

Fall Family Portraits

Fall offers golden leaves and milder weather and the most popular time of year for families to book photos. Although I love summer photos the best, I will admit the changing leaves are incredibly beautiful falling behind your family as you have your photos taken, the photos are so rich in color. Your family will likely be wearing layers and more clothing, parks with lots of trees changing colors are amazing locations, and to get the best light of the day I start all outdoor family photos about an hour before sunset. Check out this behind the scenes with this wonderful family during their autumn family photos.

What time of year do you love for your family photos and why? Share in comments below!

Anytime is a great time for family photos. The most important thing is that you are documenting your family growing every year because they change so much. It’s so much more than just a photo for a Christmas card or a Facebook profile picture, its about the heirlooms you leave for your children when they are older and for you to look back on the years that went by so fast.

When was the last time you had your families photos taken?

I hope to see you in front of my camera soon!