Destiny  |   Tips for Fall Senior Photos in Colorado

North cheyenne canon, colorado springs


Mercedes reached out to me in early September to schedule senior photos for her daughter Destiny. Fall is the most popular time for senior photos, usually because yearbook submission deadlines are typically in the early winter season. And I am ALL about it. Fall truly is one of the most beautiful seasons, especially in Colorado, and if you time your session just right you can usually catch the changing leaves in the background of your session.


Destiny and Mercedes had no specific place they wanted to go for her fall senior portraits and asked for ideas. Particularly for female senior portraits, North Cheyenne Canon is my first go-to recommendation. Between the waterfalls, the creek, the bridges, and the trees, it really does have everything you could hope for if you're looking for a more whimsical, "enchanted forest" type of vibe. Destiny loved the idea, and I began doing some research to time our session just right so we could get the fall foliage.


If you're a senior in the Colorado Springs area dreaming of an autumn senior photo session, here's my best tips and tricks to make it everything you've hoped for.


  1. Layer up. This may seem basic, but it's important.... Colorado weather can be all over the place. One minute it's 70 degrees and sunny, the next you're dealing with 30 mph winds and a thunderstorm brewing up above. Especially in places like North Cheyenne Canon that have lots of tree coverage and are close to the mountains, the temperature can drop quickly. The last thing you want is to be shivering and miserable during your senior photos. That's not to say you can't or shouldn't wear that super cute dress you've been saving for the occasion (that's what Destiny did and it was MAGICAL), it's just to say I would have a slightly warmer "backup" outfit in your car at the very least. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
  2. Timing, timing, timing. Especially if you're wanting peak fall colors in your photos, you'll need to let your photographer know ahead of time and ask them to do some research. Fall in Colorado (particularly Colorado Springs) can be tricky. All it takes is one freeze for all the leaves to die and fall off sooner than you hoped for. There's plenty of weather websites that put out their prediction of when peak colors will hit different regions of the state, and it's usually pretty accurate. You'll likely have a two week window in which colors will be bursting, and that's when you should aim to schedule your photos. I also recommend scheduling your shoot for later in the day. The sun will be setting earlier (ask your photographer to check that too), and aiming for 1-2 hours before sunset is ideal if you are in an area with lots of leaves and tree coverage. The light will still be warm and soft, but it won't be so dark in the shade yet. Particularly in North Cheyenne Canon (because it's a canyon) the sun goes behind the mountain pretty early... so you're actually safer aiming for a few hours prior to sunset instead of the textbook "golden hour."
  3. Choose your location wisely. It's true that fall in Colorado Springs is beautiful... it's also true that not all of our picturesque and popular locations in town show off fall foliage to the same degree. Colorado Springs is a town smack dab between the mountain range and the plains, and depending on where in town you are, you'll either get lots of tall grass (also pretty, but often not the fall color bomb you're dreaming of), lots of red rocks (again, can be pretty but may not be ideal depending on your vision), or lots of evergreen trees (think Fox Run Park, Palmer Park, etc.). If your vision is fall colors, you want to choose a place that has lots of different kinds of trees around so the colors can really show off. Here's my top suggestions for optimal fall color:
  • North Cheyenne Canon (no surprise)
  • Rock Ledge Ranch (note that you need a permit to take photos here)
  • The backside of Garden of the Gods
  • Upper Gold Camp Road (very close to North Cheyenne Canon)
  • Bear Creek Park


Fall senior photos in Colorado Springs can be magical. We get a lot of golden yellow because of the aspens, but in the right spaces you can also get a full range of fall color, form bright orange to deep red. With the right planning and the right photographer, you can make fall senior photos in Colorado Springs everything you've hoped for.


Ready to book your fall session? Contact me today and let's get it on the books!

A dreamy portrait on a wooden bridge with someone in a pink floral dress.
A feminine portrait in a floral pink dress amid autumn scenery.
A joyful autumn portrait with colorful fall foliage in the background.
A soft portrait against golden autumn trees wearing a pink floral dress.
A pink floral dress contrasts against a dramatic rocky waterfall backdrop.
A scenic creek portrait with someone perched on a rock in a pink dress.
A cheerful outdoor portrait by a rocky stream.
A candid portrait leaning on a wooden railing in nature.
A floral pink dress flows across a wooden bridge surrounded by autumn foliage.
Someone in a romantic pink dress lays gracefully across wooden planks of a scenic bridge.
A pink floral dress contrasts beautifully against rocky autumn terrain during an outdoor photoshoot.
A dreamy autumn portrait session featuring a pink floral dress among fallen leaves.
Artistic autumn photography with warm golden leaves and a flowing pink dress.
A soft pink dress stands out against vibrant fall foliage in a natural setting.
Ethereal autumn photography through golden leaves with a pink floral dress.
A delicate pink dress draped over natural stone in a serene creek setting.
A stone-lined path creates a romantic backdrop for a flowing pink dress photoshoot.
Artistic autumn photography with natural stone walls and filtered sunlight.
A joyful person in a pink floral dress laughs while sitting outdoors in a forest setting.
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