Spring in Idaho is Glorious


The winter is done, snow is all melted in the valley, and we can finally put away the big parkas and the serious snow boots and sing like the mountaintop scene in The Sound of Music (just me??). The trees are flowering and the green grass is growing. Birds are back, and the sun is shining. I get giddy in the spring- saying that "I'm not a very patient winter person" is an understatement. With all this new life, Easter around the corner and the warmer weather- it's a fantastic time to get some family photos taken.

a mom looks at her daughter, laughing in the spring during family photos in boise

What Should You Wear?


There's lots of information about this out there on the interwebs. On one of the sites I counted a list of 30 things to do/not to do. Which, maybe it's just me, but seems a little stressful. Like you're not worried/anxious/nervous enough about the whole thing (read this here for more tips about a family photo session with babies and toddlers).


Instead of a complicated list of what fabrics to wear that rivals the instruction manual for an Ikea bookcase, here are some simple tips that will make your life easier.

Tips for a Spring Family Photo Shoot



  • Dress for the place: Take into consideration the location- is it outdoors, in your home, in a local park, or the foothills. Decide whether you want to compliment the location or stand out. Example: dressing like a night out in Vegas in a local park vs. muted tones and neutrals.
  • Choose 3-4 colors to make your color palette and then build around that (steer clear of neons and bold colors).
  • Ditch the watches, Apple watches, and Fitbits.
  • Just say no to slogans and large pictures on clothing
  • Choose comfort over looks
  • Be yourself.


at a family photo shoot a family sits on the ground near a tree in spring and tickles their daughter
professional photograph of a girl outdoors stands in a field of flowers in Idaho

On Just Being Yourself


Don't make it complicated. Plus size or extra-tall, these are the archives of your life. The documentation of living. Your nerves shouldn't be shot by the time you make it to the photo shoot. Don't buy the expensive dress unless that's what you really truly want to do. The mess, the laughter, the crying, the crumbs- these mundane parts of life are what makes up a lot of it. If the photo shoot is in your home, I plead with you to leave it looking lived-in. Not like a staged home, something false and empty of life.


The unexpected can be really really great. Especially during a photo session. Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter- it doesn't matter.


These are a memories, captured forever. Wear something that looks and feels like you, like your family. Wear what you want.


For more about why I feel so strongly about women being themselves in photos, click here. Also- note that the Dad in these photos is wearing an Apple Watch. It's all fine.

a woman dressed in white nuzzles noses with her husband during sunset by photos by jen
an example of what to wear for spring photos a mom wearing white loose cardigan and dad tickle their daughter
a dad lifts his daughter into the air while she laughs taken by photos by jen meridian idaho