What season is best for senior photos in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida?

Ideas for Senior Girls, Ideas for Senior Guys, Senior Info, Senior outfit ideas and session prep, Seniors

April 19, 2021

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Senior Info

One of the most common questions I get asked is…When should I take my senior photos? Well, that comes down to what season works for you…

There are few things to consider when determining what season is best for you:

1) Your favorite time of year?
2) What season’s clothing do you like to wear the most?
3) Consider Your schedule and what season works best with everything you have going on with sports and school.
4) If you want to use your photos for graduation announcements and cards, when are you hoping to send them out?


Think about all of those things above and then read below to see my thoughts on what the different seasons offer so you will be able to determine which is best of your senior photos!

Summer
You are officially a senior!! The last class just graduated and you are now stepping into their shoes. And one of the first things you can do as a senior is have your senior photo taken the summer before you start your senior year of school. June, July and August leading into your senior year are all great months to have your senior photos taken if you don’t min the heat. The weather is hot {and very humid} in North Florida, so its the season I recommend the least. We do have lots of rain, but schedules are usually a little more relaxed, and who doesn’t love showing off their tan! If you are someone who wants to show off your tan, you love summer looks such as sundresses with sandals or shorts and cute tops, then summer could be perfect for you, if its when you have more free time. And if you want a fun destination senior photo shoot in your favorite vacation spot, then summer is a great time to set that up! Because summer is less scheduled than during the school year, you will have plenty of time to prepare for your session and you won’t feel overwhelmed with school activities. Plus by having your senior photos taken during the summer, you get it taken care of and you won’t have to stress when it comes time to graduate! You already have it done!!
If summer is the perfect time for you, then be sure to contact me to book your session in April before the summer starts so you have options for available dates!


Fall
School has started and you are getting the hang of being a senior! Fun school activities such as homecoming, football games, other fall sports and more are in full swing {we hope}! The days are getting shorter and there is a crisp in the air at night. September and October in Jacksonville can still be warm which allows you to get a variety in your shoot by bringing an outfit that is more geared toward summer and an outfit that is more fall. Two season looks in one session! fall also brings the prettiest, softest light, and beautiful sunsets, especially the later we get in to the season.

By November, the temperatures are cooling off and the fall colors have officially arrived. If you love the orange, gold, red and green of fall leaves and want that look for the background of your photos, then fall would be the perfect time to book your senior session. Think golden light, rustic settings and vibrant colors as your backdrop.

And what about fall clothes?! because Florida is so warm, a session can usually cover summer styles, and fall ones. If you love the idea of cozy sweaters, jeans and boots paired with hats then this is the perfect season for you. Texture and layers are key elements to fall looks and look amazing in photos! If fall sounds like the perfect time for you, be sure to book your senior session in the Spring/summer before so you can get available dates for sessions- this is the season that sells out the quickest!


Winter
Winter is my most popular session for photos here in Florida. The humidity is usually gone, or at least less. The sun is a bit further away, so its softer in photos, and brings about more beautiful sunsets. It’s also night of lights in St. Augustine, and what better way to end your session then the beautiful holiday lights! Depending on the look you want, you can do something very urban during the winter time or you could come up with a fun winter-themed concept for your senior photos!
And like I mentioned in the summer months, winter could be a great time for a destination senior shoot….do snowy mountains and warm fires sound good to you? Then let’s book a winter session for your senior photos! Be sure to contact me during the summer so you can get all the available winter dates!

Winter means layers, boots, and sweaters! I find the skies are the most beautiful in the winter, and the sun is the softest which makes for beautiful backlit photos, and sunset photos! The days are shorter so we start earlier, but that also means we finish earlier too!


Spring
This is definitely the busiest time for senior photos but it is also the busiest time for seniors! During the spring, you will be busy with spring break, prom, getting ready for graduation and so much more. So if you choose spring, be mindful of your busy schedule and make sure that the spring works best for you.
March and April in North Florida can be unpredictable as far as weather. Some days are warm and sunny and others are chilly and rainy. Just know that we may have to reschedule so you get the best possible day during the early spring months. But with the rain, comes beautiful flowers and green grass! Its also a good time to get a variety of seasons, like fall! You can do some in spring style clothes, and some in layers, to mimic a fall/ winter feel. The biggest thing with Spring is being done in time for your graduation announcements if thats important to you! So plan to start earlier, I suggest we start the planning in December, with a shoot in early March, or even late February {especially if you need invitations or announcements}.

Kelleen Hite is a senior portrait photographer based out of Jacksonville and St. Augustine Florida. Her goal is to create and amazing experience and revolutionary portraits so that every senior knows how awesome they are, and so that every parent can enjoy this fleeting moment. Kelleen is now booking for the class of 2024. To learn more about being a revolutionary KHP senior, click here.

  1. Brandi says:

    These photos are beautiful! I think picking the season is one of the most important aspects when choosing when to take your senior photos! If you love the beautiful fall leaves, don’t wait until spring! If you love the pretty spring flowers, get your senior pictures taken in the spring! Great advice!

  2. Kellee, this is an excellent way to help your clients choose what time of year will be best for their senior pictures! Great read!

  3. […] that! And think about your shooting location in Jacksonville and Saint Augustine, and your session season as well! All of these work to make your style selections work! Another benefit of Kelleen Hite Senior […]

  4. […] You get to pick your perfect season…and Summer is HOT and rainy! For most of my clients, shooting in the summer is not the optimal plan {can you say makeup running down your face} and rain every afternoon doesn’t help! This means you will want to shoot in the school year, around your sport, and your personal busy season. By mid summer I am usually 30-50% booked for Fall and early winter. In Florida, we don’t really have a winter, so this is the optimum time to shoot, and these dates are the first to go! By booking during the summer, we can plan for that fall shoot, but avoid the heat! […]

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