How to Actually Enjoy Your Spring Mini Session (And Get Great Photos)
There's something about May in Seattle that just…does something to people.
Everything is green and lush and blooming all at once — azaleas, rhododendrons, wisteria — and the light lasts long enough that golden hour doesn't feel like a race against the clock. It's genuinely one of the most beautiful times of year to be outside in this city, which is exactly why I schedule my spring mini sessions in May and not a minute earlier.
Wondering why I'm not chasing cherry blossoms like everyone else? Cherry blossoms in Seattle peak for about a week, and that week is different every single year. I've seen them come and go before I've even sent a booking email. So I let them do their thing, and I shoot in May instead, when the scenery is reliable, the weather is actually cooperative, and there's color and texture everywhere you look.
Here's how to make the most of your session.
The season deserves outfits that actually match it
Spring in Seattle is soft and layered and lush, and your outfits should feel the same way. May weather is mild enough to wear layers without overheating, which is honestly a gift — linen, soft knits, flowy dresses, light jackets. Things that move well and photograph beautifully.
Color-wise, think warm but not heavy. The spring backdrop here is all deep greens, soft pinks, and golden light filtering through trees — you want to complement that, not fight it. Some of my favorite combinations: a warm homestead brown paired with mauve and cream, or midnight blue with soft blush and camel. Bonsai (a muted teal-green) is one of those colors that looks incredible in May specifically — it sits right against the greenery without disappearing into it.
What doesn't work: neons and anything with busy logos. And on the matching front — coordinated is a palette, not a costume. Everyone in the same color family is the goal, not everyone in the same outfit.
I put together a Family Style Guide with specific color combinations and outfit ideas for outdoor spring sessions if you want something more concrete to work from. Check it out!
Set the mood before you leave the house.
The energy you carry into a spring mini session is the energy that shows up in the photos — kids pick it up faster than anyone.
Skip the "you better behave today" speech in the car. Try something more like: we're going to a park where everything is blooming, we get to be outside, and someone nice is going to take our picture.
Kids take their cues from you entirely. If you're treating it like a fun outing, they're going to roll with it. If you're treating it like an obligation, they'll treat it like one too.
This goes for the adults who didn't technically volunteer for this as well. Fifteen minutes is shorter than an episode of The Pitt. It's not that big of an ask, and a checked-out energy shows up in photos more than people realize. These images are going to matter to you — choose to show up for them.
A nap and a real meal are not optional.
I know. You know. And yet.
A hungry or overtired kid in a spring setting is just a kid surrounded by things to be distracted by, flowers to pull, and bugs to chase — with none of the regulation they need to actually slow down and connect. We'll still get great photos, but it's going to be a much longer fifteen minutes for everyone involved.
Eat before you come. Protect the nap. And keep snacks clean right before we shoot — nothing with berries, chocolate, or anything that shows up on teeth or clothes. Spring mini sessions are only 15 minutes, which means there's no time to recover from a snack-related situation once we start.
May is beautiful — let your family actually be in it
This is the part I love most about shooting spring sessions specifically: the scenery is doing so much of the work already. You don't need to stand perfectly still in front of one perfect tree. Color and texture and light are everywhere.
So let your kids run through the grass. Let them smell a flower or crouch down to look at something on the ground. Squeeze each other, be goofy, do whatever you do at home when everyone's actually relaxed. The more you interact with the environment and with each other, the better the photos are going to be.
And please don't say "say cheese." It produces a face that has never once looked natural in a photograph. Do the thing that actually makes your kid laugh — the tickle, the voice, whatever bit you have. That's the shot worth framing.
Arrive early. Spring sessions run on a tight clock
Spring mini sessions run back-to-back with no buffer between families. If you're more than 5 minutes late, that time is just gone — I can't pull it from the next family's slot, and the session will need to be forfeited. I really hate when that happens.
Aim for 10-15 minutes early. Park, let everyone stretch their legs, let the kids get a few wiggles out before we start. Just wait until it's actually your time before heading to the meeting spot — nobody loves being photographed with an audience watching from ten feet away.
Kids will be kids. That's actually the whole point.
Someone might bolt. A toddler might go full noodle. Someone will almost certainly do something completely unplanned right when the light is perfect. That's fine — genuinely, actually fine.
Running-through-the-flowers photos are some of the best photos I take all year. So are the comfort shots and the mid-chaos candids and the moments where everyone gave up posing and just started laughing. I've been doing this for almost 20 years, and I have yet to meet the kid who fully derailed a session. We pivot, we play, and we get great photos.
FAQ: Spring Mini Sessions in Seattle
-
A: April in Seattle is still pretty unpredictable — both weather-wise and bloom-wise. May gives consistently better weather, longer light, and lush scenery that doesn't depend on one specific flower being at peak. Azaleas, rhododendrons, and late spring blooms make for a much more reliable and stunning backdrop.
-
A: Soft, warm tones photograph beautifully against Seattle's May greenery — think mauve, homestead, bonsai, midnight blue, camel, and cream. Layers in linen, soft knits, and flowy fabrics all work well. My Family Style Guide has specific color combinations to make outfit planning easier.
-
A: At outdoor locations throughout Seattle and the Eastside with beautiful late-spring scenery. Exact locations are announced when booking opens — I love letting clients weigh in on their favorites each year.
-
A: Every session includes 5 edited digital images and a $40 print credit, plus at least 40 proofs to choose from in your gallery. Want more? You can upgrade to 10 images or a full gallery with additional perks — details are shared at booking.
-
A: Every session includes a rain date option, and I watch the forecast closely leading up to your session. May is genuinely one of the drier months in Seattle — it's a big part of why I love it for spring minis.
-
A: Both! The lush May scenery is a beautiful backdrop for maternity sessions too. Keep an eye on booking announcements for what session types are available each spring.
Want early access to upcoming spring mini sessions?
Join my email list and I'll let you know when spots open before anyone else.