The Best Season to Take Senior Portraits on California’s Central Coast

When is the best time to take your senior portraits on California’s Central Coast? Well it all depends on what you want out of your photos! When beginning the process for booking your senior portraits, you have a lot of things to consider: which photographer should I hire, where do I want my session, when do I want my session, what outfits do I want, and more. Well if you live in California, I am here to help answer at least one of those for you! My name is Sonia, I am a traveling Senior Portrait Photographer based out of Kitsap County, Washington and Santa Cruz, California, and I can’t wait to help you plan your perfect session!

The best time of year to take your senior portraits, like I said, truly depends on what you want out of your photos. Take a moment to visualize what you hope your senior session looks like. Is it a sunny day or overcast? Are the trees green, orange, or brown? Are there flowers in bloom? Are you bundled up or wearing a sundress? All of these come into play for the season you take your photos and should be considered greatly.

We are pretty lucky in California and get to experience beautiful weather almost all year round. Though we don’t have as distinct of seasons as other states, we stiIl have seasons so I will include some general information about each season to help you make an educated choice when booking your senior session. Some photographers, like myself, offer bundled pricing when book two or more sessions if you find yourself torn between seasons!

Winter.

Mid November - February

Winter can be considered one of the least popular seasons to take your senior portraits because it is generally colder and rainier. Some high schools also have their senior portrait submission deadline set to early December so it can be too late for submissions as well. That being said, there are actually a lot of benefits to taking your senior portraits in the winter, especially if you don’t have to worry about a yearbook submission deadline!

We are blessed to have relatively mild winters on California’s Central Coast. Though some days can be pretty cold, a good chunk of our winter days are actually pretty pleasant. You can easily wear jeans and a cute top for a session without freezing! We are also blessed with our mini summer that we get around December - early January. You know the time I’m talking about, where the weather randomly gets sunny and in the high 60s and everyone is out and about in shorts.

Winter also means limited to no fog, unless it is rainy or stormy, of course. That means you can get those beautiful sunrises and sunsets that we miss out on during the summer months. We do have our fair share of rainy and stormy days, especially in late January and February, but if you are flexible with your schedule, a winter session can be perfect for you.

One thing to consider with winter sessions is that some deciduous plants and trees may be grey or muted at this time of year. Luckily on our coast we have many other plants that are either green or in bloom to help counter-act the grayness. That being said, locations that feature tall grass may not be the best choice this time of year as they are not golden tan, they are grey. Your best locations would be ones right on the coast to maximize color.

Spring.

March - April

Spring is a favorite season for a reason — our environment is filled with blooms and lush greenery! By the end of March and April, we tend to leave the stormy season behind and only have to accommodate some rainy weather here and there. The hills are bright green, as are many other plants and trees. Wildflowers and other blooms are in full swing, too.

Up until early May, we are often able to avoid fog at sunrise and sunset and get to enjoy the warming weather with beautiful skies. The tall grass that was once grey is now green and make for gorgeous portraits and there are tons of wildflowers blooming inland as well as on the coast. Locations along Highway 1 towards Big Sur are gushing with all sorts of stunning flowers and greenery and you get the ocean and sunrise colors behind you!

You really can’t go wrong with a spring session as long as you are flexible to reschedule if it rains. Because the season is only about 1.5 to 2 months long, it is best to book your session as early as you can so that your photographer isn’t booked out already!

Summer.

May - Mid October

Summer can be a hit or miss season for senior portraits. If you are aiming for a location that is inland and lower elevation, typically somewhere east of the Santa Cruz Mountains, you can avoid the fog that is all-consuming at sunrise and sunset. Coastal locations do not get that luxury, and you will almost always have fog during your session. Coastal locations also tend to be busier during the day in the summer, too, so midday sessions become a struggle trying to work with harsher lighting and lots of crowds.

All that being said, foggy senior portraits are still beautiful if you prepare for them correctly. Choosing an outfit or props that have brighter colors will help you stand out from the grays behind you as you can see in the image above. Having your session somewhere that has a lot of color, such as a park with lots of greenery rather than on the beach, will also turn out beautiful portraits. The fog can act as a light box and provide beautiful, even lighting and the greenery around you adds color and reduces any dull-feeling you might get when your background is gray ocean, gray skies, and tannish-gray sand.

Fall.

Mid October - Mid November

Fall on the Central Coast has almost all of the same benefits for your senior session that spring has, minus the lush greens and some blooms. There are still some blooms and wildflowers, though, but do not rely on them to be apart of your session. In the fall, if you would like flowers in your portraits, make sure to bring a bouquet!

Though fall foliage is not something our area is known for by any means, we still get some color here and there. Late fall is the best time to plan your session if you are hoping for a cozy, fall vibe with hopefully some fall colors from the trees.

Fall is a wonderful time for senior portraits that feel like summer because by early to mid October, the fog at sunrise and sunset is gone and the weather is still relatively warm! If your vision is tall tan grass, green trees, and sunny sunsets, fall is the time for your portraits. Coastal locations are also perfect at this time because the skies at sunrise and sunset are clear and colorful.

———————

I hope this information has been helpful! I am more than happy to chat more with you if you would like to discuss what season would be best for your senior session. Remember that there is no wrong choice — this guide is just here to provide insight on the pros and cons of each season we have here on California’s Central Coast.

Click here for information on what your senior experience with me looks like!

Click here to chat about booking your session!

Sonia Rose Photography