March is a good month for brightly colored blooms in the background.

Lots of colorful blooms in the background in March.

When it comes to booking your senior photo session, those in Phoenix and Scottsdale tend to fall into a few categories.

First, there are the early bird planners. These are the seniors and parents who are on top of everything and do their senior session the summer before senior year. Because it's so stinking hot in Phoenix, these usually take place in July or August up north in Sedona, Flagstaff, or Prescott.

Next, there's the the average planner. These are the families who choose October and November for senior photos. Weather is cooler, the kids can wear fall clothes, and the school year is still somewhat fresh.

But then there's the next category where many find themselves in: Their senior photo session starts weighing on their mind at the start of the second semester and a new year.

From my standpoint, February and (early) March are the best months for senior photos. Here's why:

1. You're still on schedule and have plenty of breathing room. If you aim for February and March, you have plenty of time to showcase your photos, get invitations and announcements made, and have one less thing to do as you're preparing for finals and thinking about post-graduation.
2. You can usually wear warm or cooler weather outfits ... or both. If you want to wear your boots and sweaters, with average temps in the 70s, there are typically still days where that will work. Or, if you want to wear that sundress, you can often incorporate that into your session, too.
3. Not too hot. There's nothing more miserable for a teen than having a 90-minute photo session when it's 100 degrees. Dripping sweat isn't a good look. The weather in Phoenix and Scottsdale in February and March is perfect for an outdoor photo session.
4. Your photographer will have more flexibility. Many photographers are slower at this time of year. You'll have a better chance at getting a day that works for you and your photographer will have more time to focus on your session.
5. Your look likely won't change much. Some seniors go through some physical changes over the course of the school year. When you wait until February or March, you'll likely look very similar to you do on graduation day.

Not too hot for jeans, not too cool for a summer dress.

Click to see more photos from Jaryn's Senior Session at DC Ranch

Click to see more from Ally's Senior Session in Downtown Phoenix

And that leaves us to the last category, the scramblers. They're calling photographers in April wanting to get a session in and get their images back as quickly as possible so they can send out their graduation announcements. Photographers get booked up quickly for late March and early April so it's harder for seniors to find an available date, making it more stressful for everybody.

So if you haven't booked your senior session yet, don't let yourself become a scrambler. Call or email me if you have any questions about booking.

See Available Dates and Book Now!