When is the best time to schedule your family session in Houston?
Here’s the good news: in Houston, TX, there is no wrong time to schedule your family photo shoot! However, WHERE you choose to have your shoot can (and should) vary depending on the time of year (which I will cover in detail in a future post). Since indoor and studio photos can take place any time of year, I’ll focus this post on the pros and cons of outdoor shoots.
january, february
These months are typically best suited to either indoor photography (similar options to June, July, August, below) OR more urban locations such as downtown Houston, downtown Tomball, the Towne Lake Boardwalk, the Market Square area in The Woodlands, etc. Trees have usually dropped their leaves by now, and the Houston winter landscape is typically browns mixed with a few greens, which makes urban environments a great option for this time of year.
March
March can be a great time for outdoor temps in Houston, but the trees typically leaf out around mid-to-late March, so early-to-mid March is still on the wintry/brown side as far as the landscape. But if you are an azalea lover, then early-to-mid-March is your sweet spot! Wildflowers also start popping up around mid-March or so, and grass starts greening up.
april
Texas really shows off in April! Wildflowers blanket the rural areas outside of Houston, the arboretums and nature centers are often full of flowers, the grass is green, and life is good! It’s a great time for those who love lush, nature-y shots.
may
I shoot throughout May, but it does start to warm up again (I think we even had some triple digit May days in 2024, ugh!). Plans and vegetation usually still look great; just be ready for potentially hot weather and mosquitos.
june, july, and august
Key words: TOO HOT TO BE OUTSIDE!!! (Unless you have a boat. Haha.) These months are perfect for studio sessions, in-home sessions, or some of your favorite hangouts.
We can always hop outside for a few minutes at a time, but having your shoot mostly indoors during these ridiculously hot Houston months means you’ll AVOID flushed cheeks, a sweaty hairline, sweat marks on your clothing, and MOSQUITOES. What’s not to love about that?!?!
For real though - if you want to capture summery activities like swimming, sailing, etc., then the summer is a great time to do that!
Let’s talk summer travel!
Are you going somewhere fun for vacation? Bring me along for a day to join you and photograph you in whatever amazing place you’ll be! The cool mountains of Colorado or Jackson Hole, the white sand beaches of Florida’s 30A, the turquoise waters of the Caribbean…wherever you’re going, I’d love to join you!
Left…I had the privilege of photographing a wedding in Mackinac Island, Michigan in June several years ago…no cars allowed on the island! Only bikes and horses!
september
September’s a tricky one - it’s usually still TOO HOT TO BE OUTSIDE (ha) with the Houston area often still throwing down three-digit temps, so I generally recommend keeping with the indoor location theme for this month. Sometimes we can get a BIT of relief toward the end of the month, so we can roll the dice outside if you’d like, especially toward the end of the month.
october
Finally, the weather (sometimes) starts cooperating in Houston! October can still be warm, but also begins prime outdoor photography season for me. The afternoon light is GORGEOUS, the trees still have leaves (so it still looks lush outside), and you have a slight chance of being able to wear that cute jacket or sweater! October-December are my favorite months to photograph outdoors.
november
This is about as good as it gets for outdoor photography in the Houston area! Temps are usually mild, the light just keeps getting better, trees are starting to change color - it’s a perfect time to book your outdoor family session. We also work with cloudy weather - overcast weather can actually be lovely for outdoor photography. But if a downpour is scheduled, we will find another date. The cutoff to receive images for Christmas delivery is usually mid-November.
december
All sessions shot in December will have viewing and ordering sessions scheduled for January (usually the end of the first full week in January). As long as you can wait until mid-January to receive your images, a December shoot will be great for you. Temps are still nice and could even venture into the territory that could be described as “cold”. BUT I don’t take many sessions in December, so if you want one of those dates, it’s best to book early.
that’s a wrap!
I hope this post has helped give you some things to think about when it comes to scheduling your outdoor family photo shoot in Houston, TX. If you have questions, please use the Contact page. And head on over to my booking page when you’re ready to schedule your date. I hope to meet you soon!