4 Reasons to Schedule Family Photos in Spring instead of Fall

Today’s weather forecast is 65 degrees. Daffodils are sprouting up everywhere. My neighbor, an accomplished gardener, is planting things and excitedly flipping through seed catalogs, while I excitedly wait to see what her work drums up next door. Spring is springing. New life, showers bring flowers, all of that.

It’s also the perfect time to schedule annual family photos. If you’ve traditionally scheduled your family photos for fall, or considered scheduling family photos for fall (even if you didn’t complete that project), you might dismiss that statement out of hand and carry on your merry way, content to push off photos for another 6 months.

But bear with me. I have good reasons, especially if you’re someone who enjoys less stress in her life.

Reason 1: Your house is prettier in spring.

When do the flowers in your yard usually bloom? At our old house, I had azaleas, lilies, hibiscus, peonies, and gorgeous white climatis that cascaded down the porch railing. RIP to all of those. But our yard was gorgeous from April - August, and I was constantly outside, trying to get photos of the kids in front of the flowers in a way that felt natural and beautiful, and tending to the weeds when I could. Our house was not beautiful from the outside most of the year, but during those four to five months, I wanted to show it off.

Do you have photos of your family in front of your home, when it’s at its most lovely?

Reason 2: Less stress leading up to the holidays.

It’s March, but it feels like we just got done with the holidays. The lists, the hundreds of things to do before certain dates, the last-minute scramble to get everything done amid events, school activities, parties, family activities, food to be made, gifts to be thought up, purchased, wrapped, mailed. I’m stressed out just thinking about it.

Instead of having “family photos” and “holiday cards” on that list, try this: Family photos done at home, completed in the spring when life is a different kind of crazy. Then you put “holiday cards” on your calendar for July, and you pick them out, decide who to send them to, package them up, address them, get them ready to pop in the mail. And then put a reminder on your calendar for November 15 to pop them in the mail (and also with a note that tells you where you stashed them in July) and you don’t have any of that previously-felt or previously-avoided craziness of photos/cards. And you don’t have to compete with the thousands of other families all trying to get their holiday photos and cards done at the same time. It’s a much more leisurely pace.

Bonus - you can go ahead and create gifts from your photos to give to family members now, and mark off holiday gifts 6 months in advance. Imagine.

Reason 3: Changing up your color palette and your mood.

Do your family photos always end up dark and moody? Part of that has to do with the changing seasons, but part of it is related to what you’re wearing. If you’re wearing “fall colors,” you’re more apt to be photographed in dark colors that go with the season. If you want to get away from the moody family photo vibe, try a different season’s color palate and clothing choices. Vibrant floral cottons and muted linens give a much different feel from dark sweaters and plaid flannels. If you’re one to get emotionally influenced by your photos, and find yourself in a darker mood after looking through family photos, maybe try a different season and see if that doesn’t change how you feel.

Reason 4: Secret pro tip: If you’re doing photos at home, it doesn’t matter what time of year you do them.

That’s it. That’s the whole post. If you’re doing family photos indoors at home, you can do them at any point in the year. You could do them in February. You could do them in July. You could do them in October. The light will shift in your home from season to season as the Earth moves around the sun, and as trees gather and lose their leaves. But you can choose whatever outfits you want - tanktops and shorts in March, if you really wanted to - and no one will be the wiser when they see your photos. You should choose the season that works best for you. If you work in higher ed or if you’re a teacher, then August is probably not your best time. Spring Break might work better for you. If you’re an accountant, April might be the very worst time to consider photos. But June might be perfect. The point is, you don’t have to be confined to one season, just because that’s the popular time of year to have family photos done. Do what’s best for you and your family, be comfortable when you do it, and have photos made of you spending time with your favorite people. That’s what’s important.

I’m making plans for Motherhood Porchraits again for this spring (these are photos of you with your kids on your front porch, in 10 minute chunks) and I’ll have more info coming in April, including the very different structure and pricing. Email subscribers get first dibs, so if that interests you at all, sign up here and you’ll get the first opportunity to claim a spot.