What month is best for Senior Pictures?
Although most of my Seniors generally know when they want their pictures taken, and most if not all of them have certain deadlines they are trying to meet, I figured I would let y'all know my suggestions when it comes to weather for Senior Pictures!
Warning: this post keeps it real, as it doesn't feel right to try and 'sell' you the 'perfect' month for senior photos, when I cannot control the weather. It is ALWAYS better to plan ahead rather than trying to schedule a shoot one or two weeks out. Most photographers need at least a month as it takes a lot to coordinate a senior shoot and give you the best experience possible!
JANUARY
January is traditionally a slow month- the holidays just ended, there's time to rest and not be stressed with school. Weather wise, we won't be sweating, but we might be a little cold. It's pretty chilly but it's a great time to shoot because the sunlight is gorgeous all afternoon, and we don't have to stick with just shooting during golden hour. January is perfect for longer shoots and more outfits! It isn't known for colorful, blooming flowers, but Texas has indigenous trees like cedar that are green year round, and fields will be a beautiful honey-gold!
FEBRUARY
February is beautiful with soft sunlight and slightly longer days than January. If you've got your sites set on having tons of bright sunlight, a summer month might be the way to go. This February, we had 38 degrees & raining one Friday, and 70 and sunny the next Friday. Both shoots were fantastic although we were a little colder at one haha! Here's an example of the shoot from a cold, overcast day. Overcast days are great for even lighting, and cold weather always means you can layer up with a cute coat, tight, a sweater, scarf etc. If you're completely set on bright sun in your pictures, I would say: go for a summer month. If you're down for layered clothes, a stop for hot chocolate and zipping around when we're outside, February is the month for you!
MARCH
March means blooming flowers which means ALLERGIES! But be sure to take your allergy medicine. This time of year starts warming up and we again have the hit-or-miss humid rainy day contrasted with gorgeous, clear days as well. For some schools, March means Spring Break- so be ABSOLUTELY SURE to use tons of sunscreen whether you're going to the beach or the snow!!!! You don't want to be burned & peeling for your Senior Pictures post-Spring Break. Also, March means SXSW which means we should avoid downtown for a couple of days. If you want bluebonnets or cherry blossoms, March is a yes from me!
APRIL
April might be cutting it a little close with deadlines, but all for good reason- flowers, sunshine and the occasional spring shower. However, April has quite a few holidays- Passover, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter and Orthodox Easter. (Also for some schools, Prom is in April.) This year, most of these holidays fall on weekends which are prime dates for shooting. If it works in your schedule, snag an April date with your photog before their only available dates are booked!
MAY: Graduation time! Prom! Finals! Lots to do! But if you can spare an hour or two, May has gorgeous light and pretty predictable weather. It's not as hot as summer will be and we won't be cold by any means. May is super busy though, so be sure to get something on the calendar with your photog of choice soon! Also expect some wind, which is one of my absolute favorite part of candid photos!
JUNE & JULY: Summer!!! June & July are the perfect time to knock out your senior pictures for the upcoming year. If you spend a lot of time outside and want that natural sunlit glow, summer might be the perfect time for you. Temperatures are hot and the days are long- so instead of having to leave school early for a shoot, we will start much later in the day and school isn't even an issue! Be ready for more than a little sweating, but it's totally worth it for those gorgeous summer sunset pictures.
With August (read: school, sports, dance, homework, college applications & more) just around the corner, the end of July might be your best bet to get those sunlit golden pictures- without the stress of school and other priorities that will start calling your name in August.
*I know these aren't senior pictures but I couldn't resist sharing the beautiful couple I had the privilege of photographing last July!*
AUGUST: This is a peak time for seniors to want their pictures taken! Getting out of the summer/vacation headspace and back into school can be a lot, but the days are so beautiful in August and there is no shortage of sunlight! This is probably the last month before sports, school, college apps etc. are pulling your attention a million different directions. Getting your pictures taken in August gives you plenty of time to have your pictures submitted to your yearbook, Zenith page etc. Note that bug spray in August is an absolute MUST! Don't worry, I have plenty that I will bring along.
SEPTEMBER: September weather is beautiful, the sun sets late in the day, you might not have to leave school early for a weekday shoot. There may be a few flowers left from the summer heat, and the sunshine is beautiful. Watch out for your allergies and the occasional rain shower signal the upcoming rainy season. September is the beginning of the Fall wedding season, so if you're planning on renting a venue get that on the books at least ONE MONTH in advance.
OCTOBER: October! The beginning of hurricane season. I'm not saying a hurricane is guaranteed, but last year, I had to reschedule quite a bit because of rain. Rain + ACL weekends 1&2 didn't leave a whole lot of time for my seniors who wanted to shoot on the weekends, as I have to leave some dates open for the inevitable reschedule. These dates book up fast, and I already have a senior booked for October! Other than rain, October gives us beautiful fall colors with summer temperatures so we won't be cold but we might need an umbrella. This picture was actually taken on a day where the shoot started with rain but eventually gave way to cloudy skies. Light rain doesn't always mean we have to reschedule!
NOVEMBER: November- golden light, early sunsets and a slight breeze! Last year, shooting in November was a huge success- with one random day of freezing cold temperatures haha. Sometimes we get a cold front but for the most part, fall colors and temperatures are to be expected. If you're wanting fall colors and a fall ~vibe~, November might be the month for you! Here's some examples of a full sun day and a cloudier sunset (I personally LOVE both!). Lots of college apps are due around this time, so make sure to take that into consideration too!
DECEMBER: As I have said with almost every month so far, December is a mix of gorgeous, clear days and cold rainy days. December gives us TOTAL warm, fall colors with no sweat. The sun sets the earliest that it will all year, so if you're having your pictures taken on a weekday, you might have to leave school early. Keep in mind, finals/midterms are happening around this time of year, and any family or holiday trips gives your photographer (and you) less days than normal to shoot this month. For my Regents seniors, your yearbook pictures have to be turned in around this time! December won't be your month, try and get them done in November (if not earlier)!
I hope this post was helpful for anyone who is unsure about when they want to get their Senior Pictures taken <3 Ultimately, your photog will do their best to make you look just how you envision!! Trust them when they say they've got this but also just be aware of the weather and other factors (like a sunburn) that are avoidable.
