The Best Season to Take Family Photos: A Guide to Spring and Fall Sessions

If you have been thinking about booking a family session and are trying to figure out the best time of year to do it, you are not alone. It is something every family considers at some point in the planning process, and the honest answer is that it really does depend on your family and what you are looking for. That said, if I had to narrow it down, spring and fall are hands down the two best seasons for family photos.

Why Spring and Fall Stand Out

Both spring and fall offer something that the other seasons simply cannot compete with: a short and beautiful window of natural color that makes for truly stunning photos. In the spring it is blossoming trees and fresh greenery. In the fall it is rich, warm foliage in every shade of orange, red, and gold. The challenge with both is that these windows are short, and if you have your heart set on a specific look, timing matters more than most people realize.

But here is what I love about both seasons even outside of those peak windows. Spring does not end with bare trees the way fall does. Even after the blossoms are gone, you are left with beautiful lush greenery that photographs really well. And in the fall, even after peak foliage has passed, there is still so much warmth and texture in the landscape. So while the timing pressure is real, neither season leaves you without options if you miss the peak.

Spring Family Sessions

Spring is such a special season to photograph families in. The light is soft, the air is fresh, and everything feels like it is coming back to life. Some of my absolute favorite sessions have taken place in the spring, and a lot of that comes down to the locations I have come to know really well over the years. Burke Lake Park and Green Spring Gardens are two spots I return to again and again, and both offer something a little different depending on what time of spring you are shooting in.

Burke Lake has a collection of blossoming trees that I have been keeping an eye on for several years now. Among them are Callery pear trees and a lone cherry blossom tree that I love to use in the early spring. The Callery pear is technically an invasive species, but when they are in full bloom they make for an absolutely breathtaking backdrop. They tend to peak somewhere in the March to early April window depending on the year, so timing does matter if blossoms are a must for you.

Green Spring Gardens is another favorite that is especially magical in the spring when the flowers are in full bloom and the gardens are bursting with color. It photographs beautifully in almost any direction you point a camera, and having watched both locations closely over the years gives me a level of familiarity that makes a real difference when a family is counting on a specific look.

A Few Practical Things to Know About Spring Sessions

One thing worth knowing about spring sessions specifically is that golden hour timing can occasionally conflict with dinner time depending on when the sun sets. It is something worth thinking about when you are planning your session time, but it is never a dealbreaker. I will always make it work. Allergies are also worth a brief mention for spring sessions. It does not come up often, but I always have tissues in my camera bag just in case. And if someone ends up with a little bit of a red nose, that is something I can easily address in post processing.

One of my favorite spring sessions took place at Green Spring Gardens for a little boy whose family has been with me for several years. We had photographed his mama’s maternity session at Green Spring Gardens as well, so coming back to celebrate his first birthday in that same space felt really full circle and incredibly special. Watching my littlest clients grow up is one of the most meaningful parts of this work. That is exactly what I hope for every family I photograph, that this is not just one session but the beginning of something that continues for years to come.

Fall Family Sessions

Fall is the most popular season for family photos, and it is easy to understand why. The foliage colors are stunning, the air is crisp, and there is something about the warmth of those amber and golden tones that makes every photo feel like it belongs on a wall. When most families say they want fall photos, what they really mean is they want fall foliage photos, which typically puts us in the late October to early November window. This is another time when Burke Lake Park is one of my favorites. There is a specific spot there with a line of trees that holds its color a little longer than other areas, which opens up the window for fall colors just a little bit more and makes it a reliable go-to location later in the fall when other spots have already peaked and dropped.

One of the things I love most about later fall sessions is that golden hour comes earlier in the day, which can be a real relief for families with younger kids who do not want to be out too late. When the clocks fall back in November, golden hour can shift to late afternoon, which is much more manageable for little ones. And on a practical note, later fall sessions also mean there is a much better chance you can fit dinner in at a normal hour, which I personally appreciate as someone who has eaten more than a few very early and very late dinners around sessions over the years. The tradeoff is that November can be cold, and that is something families need to go into with realistic expectations.

What to Know About Cold Weather Sessions

My advice for cold weather sessions is simple: dress for it. You can absolutely make outfit choices that keep everyone warmer longer, and having coats available to throw on between shots makes a big difference. I also bring a cream colored hand knit blanket to sessions that my mom made, and we can incorporate it in all kinds of ways, wrapping kids up in it, snuggling together as a family, or simply using it as something to sit on. Families are also welcome to bring their own blanket if they prefer a different color or something a little warmer. Sometimes those cold weather cuddles make for really sweet and genuine moments in the photos. And some families genuinely prefer the cold over the heat, so it really does come down to personal preference.

I had a fall session at Burke Lake a few years ago with a mom, dad, and their two little girls that I still think about. We went later in November to that spot where I know the colors tend to last a little longer, and the colors and the light were just showing off all afternoon. At the end of the session I prompted the girls to throw leaves in the air, which made for some of the most joyful and spontaneous looking photos of the whole gallery. Before we all headed home, the girls wanted to take a photo with me. That moment meant everything.

A Quick Word on Summer and Winter

Spring and fall are my top recommendations, but I do not want to leave you with the impression that the other seasons are completely off the table. Summer sessions are genuinely beautiful in their own right. The long days mean plenty of light to work with, and there is something lush and vibrant about summer greenery that you simply do not get in other seasons. The challenge is that sessions can start as late as 7pm around the summer solstice, which can be a lot to ask of younger kids. Add in the Northern Virginia heat and humidity and it requires a little more planning to make everyone comfortable.

Winter, on the other hand, can produce something truly magical under the right conditions. I once did a maternity session in the snow where it was just mom and me braving the cold together, and it worked so beautifully because of that. She wore a black dress with a fur shrug, and the contrast against the white snow with the sun glowing behind her was absolutely breathtaking. We were probably out there for fifteen minutes max before we were both freezing, but the images were stunning. It is not something I would necessarily recommend for kids unless it is something you absolutely must have, but it was one of those sessions that reminded me that magic can happen in any season when everything aligns.

So Which Season Is Right for Your Family

At the end of the day it really does come down to personal preference. Some families love the warmth and freshness of spring. Others are drawn to the rich colors and cozy feeling of fall. Some families want blossoms and some want foliage and some just want everyone in the same place at the same time looking happy, which is a completely valid goal too.

Sometimes the timing of a session is also influenced by something bigger going on in your family’s life. A milestone, a move, a new chapter that you want to make sure gets documented before everything changes. My own most recent family session was at the end of May, and there was actually a really special reason behind the timing. My husband was retiring from the military in July, but we knew the summer heat would not be ideal for an outdoor session, so we did it a little sooner as a retirement gift to celebrate this huge chapter in our family. The weather turned out beautifully, and we even got some highland cows involved, which was honestly the most important part to me. My husband has never loved being in front of the camera, but I treasure every single session he will agree to doing.

Whatever season speaks to you, I would love to help you plan a session that feels natural, fun, and completely worth it. As your photographer in Northern Virginia, it is my job to make sure the timing, the location, and the experience all come together in a way that feels right for your family.

For more motherhood content, check out these blogs:

• 5 Beautiful Photoshoot Locations in Northern Virginia for Family Photos
• When to Schedule Your Maternity Session: A Guide for Expecting Moms