As a Seattle family and newborn photographer, I’m sure the title of this post has you confused. Why would a photographer tell me to not book fall family portraits?!
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty to love about fall in the Seattle area. I adore working with families each fall. However, I also aim to make the family photography experience one that is laid back and stress-free. Family portraits in the fall can become stressful at times. As a mother of 6 and a professional photographer in the Seattle area for more than a decade, I’m sharing things to think about before booking your next family photo session in the fall.
Let’s first say though, still book the session. Having your family photographed is always worth it. It is 100% worth the time, effort, and investment for the portraits that you can cherish for a lifetime.
Okay, now to why you shouldn’t book your family portraits in fall.
Fall Family Portraits in Seattle means unpredictable weather.
Seattle has gorgeous fall days, surrounded by a lot of rainy days. In the past few years we’ve even had a few 80-degree October days. This means you do not know if you’re going to get cold and damp, or hot and sunny. Planning for family outfits can be a little extra challenging with the added mystery of weather
While I always suggest having layers to keep kids warm, a surprise hot day could mean everyone’s too hot in your fall family portrait outfits.
Those unpredictable weather days could mean the gorgeous fall colors are washed off the trees before your session. Or it means gray days or selecting an indoor location for fall family portraits.
The weather is as fickle as a toddler selecting their snack choice. It could be rainy but clear two hours later. This means some last-minute decisions on if photo day is a go.
Of course, just because you have an overcast day does not mean your family photos won’t be gorgeous. I simply mean, the stress of watching the weather leading up to your session may cause you a little extra stress.
Fall is the busiest time of year for everyone.
Once school starts, so do the 100s of other commitments. From school events, sports, and holiday festivities, fall is jam-packed. Photographers’ schedules are also crammed with families hoping to get fall family portraits in time for holiday cards.
Remember what we just talked about? That fickle weather could mean needing to move your session to a drier day. However, the full schedules of families and photographers alike will make this extra challenging for you both to reschedule.
Should you have little kids not in anything and fall leaving you a wide-open schedule, maybe fall is perfect for you. However, school-age kids usually mean busy, busy, busy, families.
Pst. The photos featured in this blog were taken of a family during a summer vacation visiting the Seattle area.
Fall brings out runny noses and coughs.
After a summer of being outdoors, the cooler weather brings runny noses and coughs. When kids are sick we can always reschedule. Yet those runny noses can last for weeks and weeks. You may find yourself having to constantly wipe your little’s noses during your fall family portraits.
Of course, should your little one be sick on your scheduled picture day we will reschedule. Yet, once again, weather and availability can make that tricky for you.
The days are getting darker and darker for fall family portraits.
From September through December, the days get shorter and shorter very quickly. While this can be nice for little ones who can’t stay up late, it can be tricky for those with kids in school.
Weekday sessions become almost impossible without leaving work early and pulling kids from school. By mid-October, fall family portraits around Seattle start about 5 p.m., moving quickly towards a 4 and even 3:30 p.m. start.
For this reason, many photographers (myself included) do not offer fall family portraits beyond October. November is reserved for maternity and newborn sessions only.
This post may sound like I’m completely anti-fall family portraits. For sure, I’m not. I do love them. However, there is an added stress level some families do not expect as the weather, schedules and illness collide to make having the session challenging.
Other times of year to consider would be spring and summer when there is less pressure and a little more schedule flexibility.
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