Leah O'Connell

planning for family photos as part of the photography client experience

Reasons to love spring family photos

Families (predictably) flock to fall photos as their annual go-to, but spring is too good to pass up and most people just don’t realize it! Last spring, I was on maternity leave but this year, I’m excited to dance with some families in the sunshine, play in backyards, and re-discover all the reasons to love spring family photos!

1. We’re all tired of winter and are eager for sunshine, green grass, and blooms

By March, most families are chomping at the bit to explore and expand after hibernating all winter. Even if you’re the outdoorsy type in all seasons, there’s something about spring that beckons us with for fresh air, color, lighter clothing, and an eagerness to reset. Spring family sessions have such a beautiful energy to them that you can’t find any other time.

2. Less stress around the holiday rush

Fall photos are notoriously the most popular time for family photos. They’re also the most popular time for lots of other family activities – football games, orchard dates and corn mazes, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all of December… The family calendar around this season is already packed. It’s nice to plan to make family photos in lower-stress season so you can really enjoy the process. Also, you can still use them for Christmas cards if you want – there are no rules that say your photos must consist of plaid and evergreen trees! Yay!

3. Hooray for mild temps

If you want family photos outdoors, spring is your best chance to avoid sweaty or shivering. We go through extremes here. There’s always the chance for a brisk spring evening in March or April, but it’s way better than 100 degrees and humid or 25 degrees and frosty.

4. Earlier sunset times

Early spring sunset times fall around 6-7pm, which lends to a much more manageable and fun evening for families with young kids and early bedtimes. Skip the stress around stretching keeping them up late and risking mid-session meltdowns. Spring is the perfect evening window for romping around in the sun before winding down for the night.

5. An energized photographer

I set a lot of boundaries around how many sessions I take per month so that I give all my clients my best in every season. But coming out of winter (a notoriously slow season for family photography sessions), spring family sessions tend to get photographers at their freshest! We are as eager to get outside and play as you are!