Memorial Day weekend is one of my favorite times to book outdoor sessions in Boulder. The light is long, the wildflowers are starting to pop, and families are already in that relaxed, “we’re-together-and-nobody-has-homework” kind of mood. It’s a perfect storm for great photos.
The Front Range really comes alive in late May. Up at Chautauqua Park, the Flatirons are framed by fresh green grass and the occasional splash of yellow from early-blooming plains prickly pear. Boulder Creek Path is another solid option, especially in the morning before the holiday crowds show up. If you want something a little more open and golden, the fields near Marshall Mesa give you wide sky and rolling hills that shoot beautifully in the hour before sunset. Memorial Day weekend specifically tends to bring soft, hazy evening light that makes skin tones look warm and natural without much work on my end.
For families heading up toward Rocky Mountain National Park or the Peak to Peak Highway, this is also one of the better weekends to catch snow still sitting on the higher peaks while the valleys are fully green. That contrast is hard to beat, and it only lasts a few weeks. I’ve done sessions at Sprague Lake and along the Bear Lake corridor where you get that combination in a single frame. It makes for pictures that really feel like Colorado.
A couple of quick tips if you’re going out to shoot on your own this Memorial Day weekend: first, aim for the hour after sunrise or the two hours before sunset. Midday light on a clear May day can be harsh and flat. Second, don’t be afraid of a little shade. Open shade near a treeline at Chautauqua or along the creek will give you even, soft light that’s much easier to work with than direct sun. And if you have kids with you, let them move around. Some of my favorite family shots from holiday weekends are the ones where nobody is posing.
If you’ve been thinking about memorial day outdoor photography for your family this spring, I’d love to help you make something worth keeping. Reach out and let’s find a spot and a time that works for you before the summer calendar fills up.