"When should we do this?" is the question I get before almost every session — and the honest answer is that Michigan gives you four genuinely different options, not one good one and three compromises. Each season changes the light, the color, and what a session actually feels like to be part of. Here's how I'd think about it.

Spring (April – early June)

Everything is waking up and the light goes soft and clean. Blossoms come first, then the fresh green that photographs beautifully because nothing has been baked by summer sun yet. Early June is peony season at the Arb in Ann Arbor — a roughly two-week window worth planning around if you want it.

Spring is also the quietest season to book, which means more flexibility on dates. The trade-off is Michigan being Michigan: we may reschedule for rain, so it's worth having a backup day in mind. Best for: maternity, engagements, families who want fresh green

Couples Engagement shoot in stunning blue dress

Summer (mid-June – August)

The longest days of the year, which sounds ideal and mostly is — but it pushes golden hour late. A summer session usually starts around 7:30 or 8pm, which is wonderful for couples and seniors and genuinely hard with a toddler's bedtime.

For families with little ones, the hour just after sunrise is the underrated option: the same soft light, cooler temperatures, empty parks, and everyone in a much better mood. Summer is also when the tall grass and wildflower meadows are at their best — Preservation Park in Canton and LeFurge Woods near Ypsilanti are both worth the timing. Best for: couples, seniors, sunrise family sessions, lakeside sessions

Family on the lakeshore at golden hour — a summer session in southeast Michigan

Fall (September – late October)

The busiest season, and for good reason — the color is extraordinary and the light is warm and low all afternoon rather than only at the very end of the day. Peak color in southeast Michigan typically lands in the first half of October, though it shifts a week or two year to year.

Two practical notes. First, fall books up furthest in advance of any season, so if you want October, it's worth reaching out well before September. Second, "peak color" is a moving target — I'd rather choose a date that works for your family and shoot whatever the trees are doing than chase a perfect week and end up rushed. Best for: family sessions, senior portraits, extended family, engagements

Mother-to-be cradling her bump in a snowy pine forest — a winter maternity session in Metro Detroit

Winter (November – March)

The one people skip, and I wish they wouldn't. Snow acts like a giant reflector — it bounces light up under everyone's face and makes portraits genuinely luminous in a way no other season does. Bare trees and a fresh snowfall are clean and quiet in a way that summer green simply isn't.

Winter is also the most flexible season for scheduling, and it's when indoor options earn their place: the conservatory on Belle Isle and the glasshouse at Matthaei in Ann Arbor are warm and green in January, and in-home newborn sessions don't care what the weather is doing at all. Best for: maternity, newborns, holiday cards, anyone who wants something different

A quick way to decide

Newborn? Season barely matters — we shoot in your home, usually in the first few weeks.
Maternity? Count backwards. Most people book between 28 and 34 weeks, so your season is chosen for you by the due date.
Senior portraits? Late summer through fall for most, or spring if you want blossoms and less competition for dates.
Family cards for the holidays? September or early October, so you have images in hand with time to order.
Engagement? Whenever you got engaged — that emotion is worth more than any particular tree.

The part that matters more than the season

Light beats weather, and timing beats both. Almost every location I love is at its best in the last hour before sunset, in every season — and a cloudy day is usually easier than a brilliantly sunny one, because clouds do the work of softening everything for us.

So pick the season that fits your life, not the one that looks best on a mood board. Then we'll pick the spot and the hour to match.

Every city guide on the journal lists the best season for each specific location — browse all the areas I serve, or start with Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Plymouth, Canton or Detroit. When you're ready, reach out and let's find a date.