Steamboat Springs Senior Photography | Colorado Mountain Sessions

Capturing Your Moment: The Best Time & Place for Senior Photos

It’s officially time to start thinking about your senior portraits! This session is all about celebrating who you are in this moment before you head off on your next big adventure. But before we get you in front of the camera, there are two big questions to answer: Where should we go? and When should we shoot?

While spring is famous for "MUD season” around here, it can be a bit unpredictable. If you're looking for the perfect backdrop, here is a breakdown of the best seasons and locations for your session.

Timing Your Session: Beyond the MUD

Since we’re skipping the spring mud,, here is how the rest of the year shakes out for your photos:

Summer (June – August): Think golden hour, sun-drenched fields, and vibrant greens. This is perfect if you want a warm, "endless summer" vibe. Plus, you’ll have a tan! (A couple of weeks are peak for wildflowers—usually July, if you really want that summer floral look).
Fall (September – October): The gold standard for senior photos. The rich oranges, deep reds, and cozy sweaters create a timeless, cozy look.
Winter (November – February/March): For the bold! If you love a high-fashion look with a sleek coat or want the magic of fresh snowfall, winter sessions are incredibly unique and stand out from the crowd.

The best locations (in my opinion):

Steamboat Lake in Clark—It’s about a 35 minute drive from town, but ABSOLUTELY worth it! You get big mountains (Hahns Peak, the Zirkles/continental divide, and Sand mountain) without having to move. In the summer time there are gorgeous wildflowers, fields and the shoreline of the lake. In the fall, the aspens are OUT OF THIS WORLD, and in the winter it is truly a wonderland! You can’t go wrong!
Fish Creek Falls in Steamboat—a 10 minute walk to a waterfall? YES PLEASE. This location has pretty trails, a waterfall, rolling hills/mountains and trees. It can be a little busy with tourists but I know just the spots to go!
Mt. Werner—ride to the top of the gondola (if you have an IKON pass, you can ride for free in the summers) and overlook all of Yampa Valley. It’s dreamy.
The Botanical Gardens— if you love flowers and pretty paths, this is your spot, pretty limited to summer/fall, but such a great, quiet location with lots of pretty spots to get some different looks.
Yampa River—there are lots of spots on the core trail or along the river if you are wanting water, this is a really pretty option for you!