You already know that senior photos are important, so the next step is to decide when to set up a session that works around your schedule, but also accentuates your senior. You want them to look and feel their best so their personality can shine through each photo. There are benefits and drawbacks to having a session in the fall or spring, so let’s dig deeper into the differences between the two.

Fall Senior Session

A fall senior session creates timeless photos. You can never go wrong with this season. The entire gallery will generally have a deeper tone compared to a spring season. The colors will be warmer with a higher saturation which is why nothing beats the fall aesthetic. If the session is outdoors, the trees and fallen leaves are quite predominate in the background. If your senior enjoys dressing in warm tones, off-white colors, flannel patterns, vests, long sleeves or sweaters, boots, or scarves, this is their time to shine. I have noticed that many high school seniors choose to have sessions in the fall where as college seniors gravitate towards the spring. Keep in mind, these photos will most likely appear on graduation announcements that are sent out in the spring or seen at graduation parties which occur during the summer months.

Spring Senior Session

A spring senior session can capture beautiful moments close in time to the actual ceremony. Overall, the photos will have an extremely different tone compared to a fall session because of the blooming surroundings that cause a lighter style. Vibrance and bright tones are also heavily seen during this time. Another major factor is the outfit choice. If your senior feels best in cold colors, pastels, anything and everything white, floral patterns, or short sleeve shirts and tank tops, spring would be the season to go with. Shorts, rompers, skirts, sandals, and wedges are commonly seen at this time as well. Spring semester is also when cap and gowns are often distributed, so you can get pictures in the entire graduation regalia. These sessions can be harder to book since many families want their seniors to have professional pictures of their senior in their cap and gown, so keep time and scheduling in mind.

Hopefully this can give greater insight into the decision process as to when you would want to schedule your portrait session for your high school senior. And if you still can’t decide, why not have a session during both seasons? Each session is a gift in itself, so any choice will make for a beautiful collection of memories.