There’s a rhythm to every season in Minnesota. Winter lingers. Spring teases. And then suddenly, almost without warning, it’s summer. The days stretch long and golden, and everything slows just a little — except the calendar. If you’ve ever looked up in July and realized you meant to schedule family photos but never got around to it, you’re not alone.
For many families, summer is the first true pause in a busy year — a season where you can actually catch your breath. That also makes it the most meaningful time to capture your family’s story. But if you wait too long to book, you may find yourself scrambling for a date that no longer exists or compromising on what kind of session you actually wanted.
This post isn’t just a reminder to get your session scheduled. It’s a deeper look into why now — not July, not August — is the smart, strategic, and stress-free time to lock in your summer family photos. And it’s written with one goal in mind: to help you make a decision you’ll feel good about, both now and when you’re flipping through your album a decade from today.
1. The Best Light Doesn’t Wait
If you’ve ever looked at a photo and thought, “Wow, that lighting is dreamy,” chances are it was taken during golden hour — the time just after sunrise or before sunset when the sun sits low in the sky and casts a soft, golden light. That light is flattering, romantic, and incredibly gentle on the skin. It’s also fleeting.
In summer, golden hour doesn’t last long. And because it happens only once per day, there are only so many available sessions. As a photographer, I structure my outdoor schedule around the sun. That means I only take a limited number of sessions each week to ensure I can deliver the best possible lighting and experience for every client.
Here’s the challenge: you’re not the only one thinking about family photos in summer. Seniors, maternity clients, couples, and even other photographers wanting branding images are all vying for the same time slots. The clients who book early don’t just get a spot on the calendar — they get the most flattering version of their session, with the best light and location flexibility.
When you wait, you’re left working around others’ schedules, unpredictable weather, and dates that may not align with your family’s energy or availability. Booking now is how you get the version of your photos you’ve been imagining — not the compromise that happens when options run low.
2. The Prep Process Deserves Breathing Room
Planning for family photos is a beautiful process — when it’s not rushed. There’s outfit planning, choosing a location, discussing your vision, and figuring out how to involve kids or partners who might not be naturally excited about smiling for the camera. None of that feels good when it’s crammed into the two days before a session.
Booking early gives you time. Not just on the calendar, but mental space. Space to find that dress you love without overnight shipping. Space to prepare your children so they understand what’s happening and don’t feel pressured or confused. Space to talk with your photographer about the kind of session that fits your family best — are we playing barefoot by the lake, or are we reading books on a picnic blanket?
When sessions are booked last-minute, the first thing to go is intention. And intention is everything when it comes to meaningful photography. It’s the difference between a photo that looks nice and one that feels like you.
Early booking gives you time to be present in the experience — not scrambling through it.
3. Summer Is the Season of Personality
In my twenty-plus years of photographing families, there’s one thing I’ve consistently seen: summer brings out a family’s personality in ways no other season can. Maybe it’s the warmth. Maybe it’s the freedom from school routines. Maybe it’s just the joy of being able to sit in grass without a blanket or walk barefoot on a dock without freezing.
Kids are more relaxed. Parents are less rushed. There’s laughter and movement and ease.
And because the energy is so relaxed, summer sessions are some of the best times to go beyond the posed and create images that feel alive — candids of your toddler running toward the water, your child’s wild curls backlit by the sun, your partner looking at you like it’s your engagement session all over again.
The magic isn’t just in the season. It’s in the way you and your family exist within it.
Booking early means we can plan the session that fits you best — whether that’s a styled storytelling session at the park, a playful lakefront evening, or a slower-paced garden walk with grandparents. The earlier we plan, the more tailored your session becomes — and the more your family’s natural joy can shine.
4. Summer Isn’t As Open As It Feels
Here’s something many families don’t realize until they try to schedule: summer isn’t actually that free. It just feels that way at first. But when you layer in vacations, swim lessons, summer camps, weddings, family reunions, and spontaneous weekend trips — suddenly, there are only a handful of days left that work for everyone.
I see it every year — a family reaches out in mid-July wanting a weekend session, only to realize they’ve booked every single one with other activities. Or they want to include grandparents who are visiting from out of town, but the only weekend that works for the group overlaps with my fully booked calendar.
Early booking protects your time. It gives you first choice. And most importantly, it lets you treat your session like the priority it is — not the thing you try to squeeze in between everything else.
Your family story deserves more than a leftover date. Booking now gives it the space and presence it needs to be something memorable — not rushed or compromised.
5. Your Photos Will Be Ready When You Need Them
One of the often-overlooked perks of booking a summer session early is the delivery timeline. If you book a session in June or early July, you’ll have your photos delivered with plenty of time to enjoy them all summer — and fall — long.
That means:
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You can frame prints for summer birthdays or family visits.
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You’ll have fresh photos for holiday cards without the fall photography rush.
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You get to live with your images while your tan lines are still fresh and your kids still fit those outfits.
When sessions are delayed until August or September, the window for printing and using your photos shrinks. You’re suddenly competing with school start dates, fall scheduling, and photographers juggling a packed seasonal load.
Planning ahead lets you savor the experience and the results. No rush. No stress. Just beautiful images, ready when you are.
The Truth Behind Summer Photography: It’s Not Just About the Weather
When clients ask me why summer is such a good time for family photos, I always tell them this: summer is honest. It’s barefoot joy and sticky fingers and sleepy car rides home. It’s not perfect. But it’s beautiful in its own unruly, unscripted way.
That’s what I aim to capture.
And when we plan ahead, when we pick the right date and the right light and the right mood for your family, we get to tell your version of summer — not someone else’s Pinterest-perfect version.
Your kids won’t be this exact age again. Your family dynamic will shift, grow, evolve. But the photos we create this summer will hold this moment still — just long enough for you to look back and remember what it felt like.
Ready to Reserve Your Summer Session?
I’d love to create something beautiful with you.
Summer sessions with Giliane E. Mansfeldt Photography are intentionally limited so that each family gets the care and attention they deserve. When you book early, you’re not just reserving a time — you’re securing space to be seen, relaxed, and remembered.
💬 Questions? I’m always happy to help you talk through options, ideas, or availability.
🎉 Bonus for Early Booking: Reserve your session by June 15th and receive 5 additional complimentary digital images with your gallery — my thank you for planning ahead.
📅 Click here to inquire about your summer session
Or send a message — let’s find a time that feels right for your family.
Let’s make something magical this summer. I’ll bring the camera — you bring the story.
