The Best Time of Year for Outdoor Family Photos in Cheyenne and Laramie

Tips for Planning Outdoor Family Photos by a Cheyenne Photographer

I know it might seem wild to start planning for summer and fall now. However, those Christmas cards that arrived this holiday season in your mailboxes with gorgeous summer and fall photos? Yeah, those require some forethought. Did you know that most of my summer and fall family sessions are booked up before May 1st? My clients are planners! If you’re wondering which month is best for outdoor family photos here in Cheyenne or Laramie, this post is for you. Below, you’ll find examples of family pictures in each of the summer and fall months, when I take most of my outdoor photos. I’ll give you some guidance on choosing between the two seasons, along with pros and cons for planning family photos in each season.

Months I Schedule Outdoor Family Photos in Cheyenne and Laramie

First, let’s talk about the months I am outside taking family photos in Cheyenne and Laramie? I start scheduling sessions in June and I wrap them up by early November. In some years, though, fall and winter come early and I close outdoor sessions down by mid-October. The past couple falls have been really mild and warm, so we’ve been able to be outside later in the year.

You might be wondering about “springtime.” I hate to break it to you, folks, but rarely does Wyoming actually see spring weather. I have tried and tried to start scheduling sessions in the month of May, and they never fail to require rescheduling. Our biggest snow months are usually April and May. Combine that with incredibly busy spring-time school and activities schedules, and I have just given up on April and May. My outdoor family photo sessions start in June, after school gets out. If you want spring-looking photos, aim for June.

The window of being able to take photos outside in Wyoming is VERY short. This is why I send out my calendar before the New Year each year. Most of my sessions are fully booked by the May prior to each shooting season. The easiest and best way to be notified when dates are released? Sign up for the newsletter! You can sign up for it right now while you’re thinking of it:

What about Winter Outdoor Family Photos?

You’ll notice many, many months in the calendar are missing from this write-up. Friends, I have been a good sport in year’s past. I’ve gotten out in the mountains in 20 degree weather and thigh-high snow and tried to get my fingers to work enough to focus and snap the shutter. It is for the birds. In other words, I am not doing it anymore. I’ve been a professional photographer long enough to tell you this…..Get your money’s worth on a photo session: choose only nice weather months for family photos.

I know it sounds so idyllic to get snowy photos, but here’s the reality. There is wind in Cheyenne and Laramie every.single.day in winter months. The winter wind is COLD, and frankly, I simply cannot always photoshop your hair back in place. Tiny children are miserable when it’s cold outside. Everyone turns red and blotchy in freezing weather. If you want to capture your family at their best, the weather needs to be warm. I want you to have the highest quality experience with me and I want to deliver a high quality product to you. When everyone is freezing, myself included, I just don’t think you are getting the best bang for your buck.

If you want photos in the winter time or early spring, however, I have a warm and cozy studio that is perfect for those chilly months! Here’s a post that shows you what it looks like: The Studio. And below is a sample of some adorable kiddos in the studio this year.

Deciding Between Summer and Fall Outdoor Family Photos

I think this is a decision only you can make, but here are some general guidelines if you can’t decide between summer or fall for family pictures.

First, Consider Your Family’s Schedules

Are you constantly traveling or camping in the summer? All of my sessions are on weekday afternoons or evenings, so typically, people tend to be in town, but if you are a teacher or someone who has a lot of travel flexibility, summer might be the time you’re mostly out of town. Kids might be away at summer camps all summer or working summer jobs. Maybe fall is better if that’s when you’re all in one place.

On the other hand, as kids get older, fall becomes tricky because of sports schedules and school activities. I try to avoid dates closer to weekends, when games and meets are happening, but summer might be better if things are hectic in the fall months.

Another thing that people often don’t think about is that summer sunsets are much, much later than they are in the fall. If you have tiny babies and want a sunset session, please keep their bedtimes in mind. Starting a session close to 8 pm might not be the best option for you. Please reach out if morning times are better for you – I offer weekday mornings too, but you won’t find them on the regular calendar.

Second, Consider Your Home Decor

I mentioned this above, too, but it’s important to consider the season when you think about displaying your family photos in your home. If you have mostly cool tones and neutrals, including soft grays, blues, greens, soft pinks, or mostly whites in your home, summer is probably a better season for you. Summer light and grasses are generally a bit cooler and softer in tone.

By contrast, fall is all about warm tones, warm light and lots of rich color. If your home has dark tones in wall color, rich hues like camel, dark tan, charcoal gray, black, burgundy, navy blue or deep greens, fall family photos will look great displayed on your walls. Fall colors can also work in lighter homes, especially those with warm tones on the walls, and trim. I have a cream colored paint in my home, gold accents and my trim is a warm pine, and fall can definitely work there as well.

If you have lots of bright color blocks, black and white and a more modern look inside your home, I would consider a downtown session or a studio session. Downtown has lots of amazing color, and black and white photos with a backdrop of murals or cool architecture will look great in a house that has a little more punch for decor. Studio sessions can go in any house, as I usually keep those minimal and offer black and white right alongside color photos.

Summary: Pros & Cons for Summer Versus Fall Family Photo Sessions

Summer (June, July or August) Family Photo Session Pros:

• Warmer temps offer wardrobe flexibility.
• Softer hues in summer foliage (soft blues, greens, tans) work well for homes with more neutral decor.
• Lush grass and wildflowers!
• School is out and kids tend to be less busy with activities.
• Days are long so we have more time before sunset for scheduling.

Summer (June, July or August) Family Photo Session Cons:

• Bugs can be bad!
• Storms require scheduling flexibility.
• Later sessions might conflict with younger children’s bedtime routines.

Fall (September, October or November) Family Photo Session Pros:

• Warm, rich tones and beautiful light.
• Works well with homes that have richer decor tones and colors.
• Wardrobe can be cozier and more textured.

Fall (September, October or November) Family Photo Session Cons:

• Weather can be variable.
• Light goes down much earlier, so scheduling can be tricky.
• School and fall sports are back in full swing.
• I can’t guarantee leaves to still be on trees during your session. Winter might come earlier than expected.

Summer Family Photos in Cheyenne; June, July, & August

If I could live in a forever summer climate, I think I would. I love summer, especially early summer, when things are green and the wildflowers are coming out in the mountains. I also really like summer family pictures in the Cheyenne and Laramie areas. While fall has gorgeous light, summer offers cool tones that allow more flexibility in wardrobe. Summer pictures also conflict less with school and sports activities.

Summer Days are Long

Our summer days seem to last forever. Here in Wyoming, we have gorgeous summer sunsets that sometimes don’t happen until 8:30pm. Long summer days are great for parents who are finishing up a work day and needing to get out to a mountain photo location. My ideal time to shoot is fairly close to sunset, and all of my sessions are scheduled within two hours of that light hitting the horizon. The only drawback for those longer days is that if your children have an early bedtime (say 7 or 8pm), then a summer session might be interfering with that wind-down and bedtime routine. In this case, an earlier fall session might be a better option for you. Summer sessions are great for families with older kids who might have summer camps or summer jobs they need to finish up before heading to the photo location.

Wardrobe Options Can Be Flexible in Summer Months

When you schedule a summer family photo session, you have more leeway in wardrobe options. Styles can vary from jeans to shorts to lighter long-sleeve fabrics to fun sundresses. Light fabrics look best, but sleeve length can really vary a lot. I also love that summer months allow for more whimsical patterns (see the fun florals and surfboard patterns in the family photo below).

Let Your Home Decor Guide You in Choosing a Month for Family Photos

My hope is that you will print and display your photos in your home. It’s a good idea to think about your home decor when planning your family photos. Which season might complement your house decor the best? If you have neutrals, grays and softer colors in your home, summer might be more your style. Green hues, soft summer light and the blue sky might be the perfect complement to your decor.

The mountains take a bit longer to green up in the higher elevations, but they tend to stay green through August. This mountain session was taken in late July, closer to Laramie:

I love that we still had wildflowers in the fields in late July.

In town during summer months, the grass is lush, green and tall. I take a lot of in-town family photos along the greenway in Cheyenne or at local city parks. You’ll notice that these park locations don’t necessarily look like a “park” setting. I’m usually aiming for natural areas with tall grass that feel more like the mountains than the city. We might even find wildflowers right in town, like these we found in a park in Laramie.

Plan for Bugs!

Unfortunately, pesky bugs come with warmer summer temps and green grass. The bugs can be especially bad in mountain locations near water or open ranges, like Curt Gowdy or Vedauwoo. I almost always have bug spray with me in the car, but please bring your preferred bug spray with you to your summer session. While my bug sprays are generally labeled family-safe, you might be more comfortable using a brand you like on kiddos or babies.

Summer Months Require Some Scheduling Flexibility Due to Storms

One thing about the summer months….we definitely get quite a few summer storms in June and July. That rain keeps the grass looking green, but it can be tricky to plan around. If we can dodge the storms and we don’t have to cancel, we can get some beautiful, epic skies.

My photo session rain policy is this. If there is a chance of lightening or heavy precipitation (more than 40% chance on the hourly forecast at two hours prior to your session), or if the wind is supposed to be especially high that evening, we will need to reschedule. I have started being very cautious about scheduling any sessions during Cheyenne Frontier Days. For some reason, when those cowboys picked the last two full weeks in July to hold CFD, they also picked the stormiest, most hail-ridden week possible!

Fall Family Photos in Cheyenne; September, October, & November

Fall is by far the most popular time of year for family photos, and these dates definitely disappear fastest on my calendar. There are some definite advantages to scheduling your family photos in the fall. One thing you might not think of about fall…the bugs are typically gone! The light is also warm and the colors are vibrant, especially during peak leaf-changing times. But if you’re really looking for that peak fall color, you’ll want to also consider your location. Leaves change earlier at higher elevations and in mountain areas. Laramie leaves change faster than those in Cheyenne. See below for a general reference on when leaves typically change in this area.

Peak Leaf-Changing Times in the Cheyenne & Laramie Areas

Cheyenne Areas:

• Curt Gowdy State Park: end of September through the first week in October
• Pole Mountain Area: end of September
• Cheyenne In-Town: second and third weeks of October, leaves on the ground and some color left in early November in certain years (unless we’ve gotten a couple snow storms already)

Examples of late fall, in-town photos at one of our local parks (all taken mid to late October):

Laramie Areas:

• Centennial and Lake Marie Areas: early September through early October (leaves usually gone near Lake Marie by mid-October)
• Happy Jack Recreation Area: mid-September through early October
• Vedauwoo: mid-September through early October
• Laramie In-Town: early October

These were taken close to Laramie in mid-September.

One thing to note…..I cannot guarantee you’ll have fall color for your photos. In certain years, we’ve seen snow as early as September 12th, and the leaves barely come out, freeze and fall within about a week. Even if we do get early snow storms, though, we generally still have some warm days here and there through mid-October. Light can still be beautiful, even if the leaves have mostly fallen, like in these photos taken in November in a local Cheyenne park. We might have to watch the weather and temps closely.

Plan For Cooler Temps

And speaking of weather, fall requires some flexible clothing planning. It might be 80 degrees, or we might be closer to 40 or 50 degrees. Temperatures can vary widely during fall months, especially in October and November. Many of my clients want to show off their new cozy sweaters for fall family photos, but then they roast when the temperature still feels like summer. The key to dressing your family for fall photos is to plan for layers. Bring the chunky sweaters, but layer them over lighter options, like tank tops or short sleeves. And if the weather forecasts anything below 60 degrees, definitely bring jackets for everyone in the family. Our wind can make temps feel much cooler than the forecast, especially in the higher mountain elevations.

Light Goes Down Earlier in the Fall and Changes Faster Than in Summer Months

The light in the fall decreases at a faster rate than light in summer months. Near the summer equinox, the light starts to diminish slowly, but as we get into autumn months, light begins to decline much more quickly each day. This means that in October, sunset is a full 10 minutes earlier each week. Compare that to summer months, when light is only changing by a couple minutes week to week. And remember….in early November, we have that much-loved time change! So we go from having 6pm sunsets in late October to 4:50 pm sunsets in early November and close to 4:30 mid-November. Between kids’ school schedules, sport schedules and parents getting out of work, fall can be a really tricky time to plan for fall photos. Because my children are also busy with weekend sport events, my weekends are reserved for time with my own family.

Most Important Rule of Thumb? Book Your Family Photo Session Early!

I really can’t stress this point enough. Please, please, please do not wait until the fall leaves start showing up before you decide you need to schedule family photos. Chances are, your photographer will not have any dates left at that point. My summer and fall dates are typically gone by May.

To book your family session, head to my family page here: Cheyenne Family Photos. Choose a session that fits your needs and get it booked, before your preferred date is gone!

Thank you all for reading!