Or more accurately, let's talk about what kind of weather I'll reschedule for. And because the answer is fairly short, I'll elaborate on why I won't reschedule for certain types of weather, so read on!
The day arrives for your photo session and it's super cold. As in, 10 degrees. Because it's only this cold during the winter here in Massachusetts and the winter is a really slow season for me, I'll likely reschedule for a day that looks to be over 25 degrees. Typically you would only really be scheduling an outdoor session in the winter if you're expecting a baby and want maternity photos, or you're newly engaged and want to get those photos in as soon as possible. You probably aren't including really young kids in your outdoor winter sessions unless you're doing a fun family session where everyone is in their snow clothes (yes, please), so depending on your situation, I'll try and keep the session on my calendar but if it's going to be utterly frigid ( in the teens or less) I'll be happy to reschedule! My camera doesn't love the freezing cold either and performs better when it's a bit warmer.
On the flip side, if you're scheduled for the summer time, the weather for your session date could be forecasted to be super hot and humid. Yuck. I don't love that weather either, but that's how most of the summer weather runs up here, so I won't be rescheduling for hot and humid weather. If we waited for the absolute perfect weather day, we could be waiting a long time, and I can't reschedule people because it'll be hot. My sessions start 1-2 hours before sunset, so we definitely won't be shooting during the hottest part of the day, and could get some relief as the sun sets. Bring lots of water!
Is your date supposed to be pretty windy? That can be frustrating with hair blowing around, but it's not a reason to reschedule. Tie that hair back and get excited for some beautiful movement in your photos! Wind adds really gorgeous movement to hair and dresses and can give your photos that little something extra. While I won't reschedule, we can look at changing your location to a place that would be more sheltered so that we can try and cut down on how much we have to deal with the wind.
Is it supposed to be cloudy at the time of your session? I get how that can be disappointing, especially if you were hoping for some golden light or a beautiful sunset in your images. But, I can't reschedule for cloudy days either. We get all kinds of weather here, but my availability is finite and I don't have room to reschedule for clouds. The upside to cloudy days is that I can position you pretty much anywhere and don't have to worry about how the sun is hitting you, because the whole sky is like a giant soft box, giving flattering light everywhere! Sometimes the clouds are super dramatic, too, which can be a really neat & different backdrop for your photos. Those gray skies also let colors pop, so your family and any greenery, or foliage will really stand out beautifully. And it can make for some stunning black and white photos as well. Plus, we're taking photos of your family, not the location! While the location is certainly in your photos, the real star is your family and the connections you have with each other. That's my focus, whether we have cloudy skies or clear.
So, that leaves rain. If there's a 50% or higher chance of rain at the time of your session yes, I will reschedule. My camera and lenses are weather tight, but would not survive a rain storm, and no one wants to trek around a location pretending that it's not downpouring--how miserable!
To recap, I'll reschedule your session for only two weather related events: extreme cold or rain. Whenever your session happens, know that I make it my priority to capture beautiful images of your family regardless of the weather. Promise.