When to Take Senior Pictures in the PNW

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This is a super common question for high schoolers in the Pacific Northwest starting to think about their senior portrait session. When you should take your photos totally depends on what you want the vibe of your shoot to be! When planning a session with my seniors, I always ask what season they pictured their shoot to be in. This helps narrow down the 1-2 month window that they should book their session for.

Note: This seasonal advice is for seniors planning an outdoor session! Studio shoots are a fun alternative because you can book them year-round, wear whatever the heck you want, and won’t have to reschedule your shoot due to bad weather.

Spring

March - May: You can book your session for as early as the spring of your junior year! It may seem early, but that’s the time all of the spring flowers start to bloom which add maaagic to your photos. The pops of color from the flowers really make your session unique and fun!

Summer

June - September: Book your session for the summer if you want that dreamy golden light, tall grass fields, and sunflowers! Summer is really the only time in the PNW where rain is somewhat guaranteed to not ruin your shoot. This is one reason why summer gets filled up pretty fast for senior photographers. Make sure to book your shoot as soon as their dates become available if you decide on this season!

Fall

October - November: Say hello to those magical fall colors! Like those spring blooms, the orange and yellow leaves don’t stick around for long so you have a short period of time to get them in your shoot. Also, everyone is back in school so weekends fill up super fast for senior photographers! If you want to wear tall boots, sweaters, and scarves then book your session for fall.

Winter

December - February: Oregon winters can be brutal! Rain and grey skies everyday. Luckily there’s a few locations that might still work! The studio is an option year-round since it’s indoors, but if you really want to shoot outdoors try a snow shoot at Mt. Hood! Just make sure to dress for the weather or else you’ll look totally freezing in your photos!

I hope this helped you decide when you should take your senior portraits in the Pacific Northwest! The planning process can be overwhelming but don’t forget that it’s supposed to be fun!!