winter

spring

summer

fall

In Colorado, winter can mean 5 feet of dumping snow, or a sunny 65 degree day. It's usually a toss up.  

Why winters can rock : 
• The snow is an awesome reflector. 
*  Easier to avoid crowds.
• Mountains look way more epic with a bunch of snow.

Why they can be tough : 
• Roads closed/limited access due to snow. 
• The weather can be a little brutal. 

Preparations to make : 

•  Handwarmers 
• Hot beverages (spiked for extra warming effects)
• Traction (ie: microspikes, nanospikes, snowshoes)
• Lots of layers 

Which season do you two cherish above all others? What time of day do you feel the best? And don't worry about weather... unless it's real bad that is.

when to plan your session

Like winter, spring can provide totally different weather from day to day. Generally lots warmer in the lower elevation areas, but still lots of snow up high.  

Why spring is beautiful : 
• Still lots of snow on the mountains. 
*  The green on the aspen starts to come back.
• It's a lot lot warmer.

Why they can be tough : 
• Roads at elevation are often still closed/limited access due to snow. 
• Mud. 'Nuff said. 

Preparations to make : 

• Everything from the winter category.
• Be ready to get a little muddy.

My favorite of all seasons. The trails are dry and the wildflowers are out.  

Why summers are my fave : 
• Access to the backcountry really opens up. 
• One word - warmth.
• Later sunsets.

Why they can be tough : 
• The daily afternoon thunderstorms (aka lightning to worry about). 

Preparations to make : 

•  Bring layers. The temp shifts drastically when the sun goes behind the clouds.
• You'll need lots of water with the heat. 
• Sunscreen. 

Fall in Colorado is golden (pun intended). The busiest season for sessions & weddings, hands down. 

Why fall is amazing : 
• Leaf change, duh.
• That crispness in the air.
• All the fuzzy feels. 

Why they can be tough : 
• CROWDS. Like, thousands of extra people, everywhere. 
• It can easily snow at any time after September. 

Preparations to make : 

•  Warm layers. 
• Pad extra time to get anywhere, as the leaf-peeper traffic is crazy.

sunrise

sunset

I think the main thing to consider when it comes to sunrise or sunset sessions is how well you fare in the morning. If you're going to be super tired with bags under your eyes, sunsets are where it's at. 
But if you thrive in the morning and get energized off those alpine starts, then HECK YES. Let's do it! 

Sunrise Pros : 
• Typically WAY less crowded anywhere you go.
• Depending on the area you're considering, the colors might be better at sunrise than sunset. 

Sunrise Cons : 
• You've gotta wake up early early to get ready, get to your location, and (possibly) hike in before the sun rises. 
• Generally it's really cold, even in the summer.
• I feel like the colors change quickly, and the harsh light comes out pretty fast. 

Sunset Pros : 
• The golden hour is the best hour. 
• You've had all day to prep/get ready. 
• It's generally warmer in the afternoon/early evening. 

Sunset Cons : 
ª Everyone loves sunset, so the crowds can be a bit wild. 
• It's sometimes hard to predict when the sun will set behind the mountains, and therefore we can lose light faster than we thought. 

Rain

Sun

snow

Light drizzles are the name of the game! Torrential downpour, thunder, lightning and wind? Let's reschedule. 

Rain pros : 
• All the moody/rich color vibes (aka MY FAVORITE). 
• Rain = clouds, and clouds = the most beautiful even lighting ever. 
• It cools the day off. It's a little reset button. 
• Less crowds. 

Rain Cons : 

• Rain is wet, lightning is dangerous.
• I can't let my equipment get soaked.
• It can be uncomfortable and/or cold. 

Sunny days can be amazing, but just like with rainy & snowy days, they present their own challenges. 

Sun pros : 
• Warm, uplifting and playful vibes. 
• You don't have to worry about getting struck by lightning! lol 
• More chance of color at sunset (provided there are some clouds in the sky). 

Sun cons : 
• Can be so harsh that any surrounding color will be cast onto your face. 
• Creates harsh shadows, and therefore we're more limited as to where we can shoot. 
• More direction required. 

Snowy days are some of the best, provided it's not a wet/heavy snow. 

Snow pros :  
• Magical winter wonderland vibes.
• Snow is a natural reflector so your skin is gonna look awesommme. 
• It's so very "Colorado". 

Snow cons : 
• less/no access to certain locations. 
• Often rquires more preparation (ie: snowshoes, spikes, more layers to stay warm, planning, etc.)
• Can throw off auto-focus on cameras a little if it's actively snowing, but it isn't a big deal. I can still get plenty of sharp images! 
• It's cold. 

Obviously we can't control the weather, but here are some good things to know about what differences each one of these scenarios mean for your session date!
Also know that if the weather is terrible, we can reschedule. It's not a problem!