Hi, I'm Samantha! I'm a Portland family photographer. I create timeless family photos for old souls and sentimental hearts. With an eye for connection, sweet details, and soft light, I've been serving the Portland area since 2011.
Best Time To Take Family Photos in Oregon // Hillsboro Family Photographer
This is one of my very favorite family photos. My good friend and fellow photographer Halsey took us to Sauvie Island about four summers ago for our family photo session! For years, especially before my son was born, I did elaborate setups with a tripod in front of our Christmas tree and then popped those onto our Christmas card. But you know what’s not easy with a wriggly little one? GETTING THEM TO LOOK AT A TRIPOD!! And you know what else? Winter is not my favorite season. I know I live in Oregon where it rains 99% of the time, but I am totally and completely a summer person. So when Halsey got us outside in July at a farm, she caught me at my happiest. We weren’t worried about rain, there was a beautiful and warm sunset happening, and we traipsed through a dry field with zero mud. Yep. Happy place. Ever since then, I make sure to always schedule our yearly photos during the summer. For our family, that is the BEST time to take family photos!
A lot of times I get clients contacting me wanting to schedule their yearly family photo in November because “it’s that time of year” or they need a photo for their Christmas card and November is when they get around to it. If you’re a winter lover, I say go for it! You’re going to be comfortable with cloudy weather and a little rain or mud in your photos, or snuggling up in cozy sweaters in your home for the photos. But if your favorite photos all feature warm, sunlit outdoor scenes with leaves on the trees and summery dresses, I totally encourage you to think about doing your family photos during summer time! And bonus–if you have kids, often it’s way easier to schedule time for family photos during the summer, when school commitments wind way down and winter illnesses are at bay. That’s going to be the best time to take family photos if those are concerns you have!
Some of my favorite summertime photos:
So are you a summer person or a winter person? What type of photo would make you happiest to see on your walls? What kind of scene or setting do you envision your family photos in? If you’re leaning towards summer photos, now is the time to contact me to set up your session! Summer weekends fill up quickly, so plan to get in touch with me 4-6 weeks before you would like to do your session so we can get you on the calendar!
Being happy with the weather definitely plays a huge part in the eventual outcome of the images – that’s for sure. This is such a great post with food for thought – because as you mentioned, too often we do pictures just because it’s “that time of the year”. Love these images of happy summer families!! 😀
I have a repeat family who hates the winter, but always wants to schedule their family session in November or December…. Oh boy. This is great! I love this post idea!
[…] Think about what you want your final images to look like. Is fall really the right season for your session? I always encourage clients to book in the summer, particularly if they’ve fallen in love with my portfolio images on my website. Most of those happen in the summer. That glowy light, the warm dry wheat fields, the light filtering through trees with green leaves…yep, that’s summertime! I love fall sessions as well (and you can check some of those out on the blog here) but those are going to have a different look. That same glowing wheat field from the summer session gets mowed in the fall, and the light is a little harsher because it’s filtered through bare branches instead of leafy trees. A park full of fall color will photograph nice and rich, with plenty of deep, warm color rather than that soft light. My clients who always book fall sessions love this! Fall is their favorite season and so it makes sense to have sessions surrounded by rich yellow and orange leaves! But if you’re a summer person at heart and you want a light and bright wheat field, it might be best to book a summer session! I’ve blogged about this before, so check out this post to learn more about booking in the best season for you. […]
Being happy with the weather definitely plays a huge part in the eventual outcome of the images – that’s for sure. This is such a great post with food for thought – because as you mentioned, too often we do pictures just because it’s “that time of the year”. Love these images of happy summer families!! 😀
I love summer! So I would be the happiest then. Such a great blog to give you something to think about when you are booking your photo sessions!
Girl YES! I love warm springy family sessions for myself also!
I have a repeat family who hates the winter, but always wants to schedule their family session in November or December…. Oh boy. This is great! I love this post idea!
Such good content! The right timing makes all the difference!
I am a neither person. Haha I prefer fall the best, but spring or summer would be best for my walls ❤️
Super smart to think about what would be best for your walls, Alissa!
[…] Think about what you want your final images to look like. Is fall really the right season for your session? I always encourage clients to book in the summer, particularly if they’ve fallen in love with my portfolio images on my website. Most of those happen in the summer. That glowy light, the warm dry wheat fields, the light filtering through trees with green leaves…yep, that’s summertime! I love fall sessions as well (and you can check some of those out on the blog here) but those are going to have a different look. That same glowing wheat field from the summer session gets mowed in the fall, and the light is a little harsher because it’s filtered through bare branches instead of leafy trees. A park full of fall color will photograph nice and rich, with plenty of deep, warm color rather than that soft light. My clients who always book fall sessions love this! Fall is their favorite season and so it makes sense to have sessions surrounded by rich yellow and orange leaves! But if you’re a summer person at heart and you want a light and bright wheat field, it might be best to book a summer session! I’ve blogged about this before, so check out this post to learn more about booking in the best season for you. […]