The #1 Best Season to Have your Family Photoshoot in Rocky Mountain National Park
Yes, I pulled you into this blog post by saying that there is a #1 best season for your family photoshoot in Rocky Mountain National Park, but in actuality there is no bad season in the national park for family photos. Every season produces amazing results as a backdrop. With that said, depending on your family’s priorities, there may be seasons that will work better for you than others. In this blog post I’ll be highlighting the benefits of each season for family photo sessions, so that you can identify more easily the season that best works for your family.
Winter Photo Sessions in the National Park
Winter is a truly under appreciated season in Rocky Mountain National Park. I love doing sessions this time of year. If you ask me, the park is at its best in the winter. The snow-capped peaks, quiet and few crowds, and magical icy lakes are unmatched. Yes, it can be a little chilly this time of year. But this is Colorado. Odds are it is going to be sunny and warmer than you expect. Even if it isn’t sunny though, the epic clouds this time of year make the mountains even more majestic.
When it comes to photographing kids in the winter, there are two major advantages to this time of year. First, snow is so much fun and what kid doesn’t love to be out in it? That can make the session more enjoyable for everyone. Also, with winter comes early sunsets. This means that your session would start in the 3 o’clock hour. There is no worry about bedtime conflicting with your session at all.
Spring in the Rocky Mountains
Spring backdrops aren’t that different from winter in the Rocky Mountains. We still get snow-capped peaks. There might be less snow on the ground where we’re at, but there are benefits that outweigh that lack of snow. Temperatures tend be warmer than in the winter and the streams are starting to flow. Water surrounded by snow is gorgeous. Spring also comes with a time change, but the sessions aren’t so late to be conflicting with most bedtimes. It means that your session will most likely start in the 5 or early 6 o’clock hour. That means that it can work better with work schedules and still work with many bedtime schedules as well. Things start to green up in May and June and will still be paired with snow-capped peaks, so wait until late spring if you’re wanting things to look a little bit more spring-like.
Rocky Mountain National Park Photo Sessions in the Summer
Summer comes with warmer weather, greener backdrops, and a few wildflowers here and there. It also comes with more active wildlife in the valleys. This is probably the most popular season for me when it comes to family photo sessions in the park and that is mostly due to visitors coming this time of year. The park is teeming with people. Fortunately it is a big park, so we can still get a beautiful corner of wilderness to ourselves for your photoshoot.
Timed entry can be a hiccup, but not a deal breaker. Closest to the summer solstice, we can still get away with sessions down Bear Lake Corridor, because the sun sets late enough for us to enter that part of the park after timed entry has ended. At other times, there are still many beautiful parts of the park that we can access at any golden hour session time.
Summer can work better for families with kids, because school isn’t tiring them out before the session begins. The later sunset can work better with work schedules as well. Although this isn’t the optimal timing for bedtimes, sessions typically start in the late 6 o’clock hour and don’t end until late in the 7 o’clock hour, it’s summer so whose doing bedtime anyway. =)
Fall Photos in the Park
Summer is rivaled by fall for family portraits and portraits in general. I can see why. When the aspens turn golden, the park changes overnight and becomes a vibrant landscape unmatched the rest of the year. Although, as a photographer, I will admit something you rarely hear. Fall color is horrible for skin tones. I’m happy to do the extra editing this time of year though to capture this magical golden aspen look.
It is by far the busiest time of year in the park though. Between the aspens and elk rut, the crowds are definitely called to the park. You have to plan accordingly and make sure to give yourself enough time to get through the entrance gates and navigate the park. Traffic can be aggravating this time of year. Fortunately the park is big and the options for family portrait locations are vast, so we can easily find a corner of the park with no one else there. Getting there is the stressful part.
Fall color typically happens in the latter half of September and often stretches into the first week of October. The fall color sessions are earlier than the summer with start times in the 5 o’clock hour. It is warmer than the winter, so you can usually get away with just a sweater.
Later fall, without the fall color, also has its advantages. November can be a great time of year in the park. The temperatures are still pretty warm, but the crowds (and traffic) have ceased. The timed entry has ended, so we can do Bear Lake Corridor again. Because so much of the park is evergreen, it is still stunning in the latter part of fall. After the time change, the session times work really well for earlier bedtimes. The sessions start in the 3 o’clock hour.
The Best Season for Rocky Mountain National Park Family Sessions
As you can tell, there are advantages in every season for portraits within the national park. The key is figuring out your family’s priorities and choosing based on those. I recommend thinking about the backdrops that you most would want to capture, how much you need to prioritize bedtime, and how much you need to consider outside temperature with your kiddos. Every family is different, which is why I can’t just choose one season and say it is the best. A family with small children might want to prioritize bedtime because of moods after that point in the day and the earlier bedtime schedules. Families with older kids might be more willing to do a later session, so that they can prioritize warmer weather. Families that enjoy outdoor winter activities might want a winter session so as to highlight their love for this time of year. If you need some more help with determining the best season, I have created a handout that lays out the priorities and which seasons/months I recommend considering. You can get that handout here.
Sara Herkes is a maternity, newborn, family, and senior photographer based in Longmont, CO. She serves the the Denver Metro Area, the Colorado Rockies, and the Northern Front Range and captures your pregnancy amidst the Colorado wilderness. Learn more about her services here.
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