People ask me when the “best” time to shoot in Utah is, and the honest answer is that Utah doesn’t really have an off-season — it has four very different ones, and each rewards a different kind of session. Here’s how I think about the year when someone’s trying to pick a date.
Fall (roughly late September–October): the easy yes
If you want me to make the choice for you, it’s fall. The light softens, the canyons turn, and the whole state briefly looks like it’s showing off. Golden hour gets longer and gentler, which is flattering for people and forgiving for me. It’s the peak booking window for family sessions for a reason, and the color doesn’t wait around — miss the window by two weeks and you’re shooting bare branches.
Winter: underrated, if you dress for it
Winter light in Utah is low, clean, and quiet, and the crowds vanish. Snow acts like a giant softbox — even midday can work, which is not true most of the year. It asks more of everyone (warm layers, shorter sessions, cold hands), but the payoff is a look you cannot get any other time.
Spring: green, moody, unpredictable
Spring gives you fresh green and dramatic skies, with the tradeoff that the weather does whatever it wants. That unpredictability is a feature if you like a little drama in the frame and a bug if you need certainty. Great for engagement sessions where a moody sky earns its keep.
Summer: shoot the edges of the day
Summer in Utah means committing to early or late — sunrise and the last hour before sunset — and largely writing off the harsh middle. It’s the season that most rewards getting up uncomfortably early. The trade is that the days are long, so “golden hour” is genuinely generous at both ends.
The short version
Fall is the safe, gorgeous default. Winter is the sleeper. Spring is for drama. Summer is for people willing to set an alarm. Whatever you pick, the light is doing most of the work — my job is knowing when and where it’s going to be good, which is most of what you’re actually hiring.
If you already know the season, here’s how I think about picking the actual location, and my favorite Utah spots for couples. When you’re ready, let’s get a date on the calendar.
— Preston
