Depending on where you live, winter starts on December 1st or 22nd. Usually, that's not the most popular season of the year to do a photo session... for a few obvious (cold and sometimes rainy) reasons. 

Despite the meteorological challenges, there are a few pluses of having your session in the Parisian wintertime:

1. The light! If the sky is clear, the light looks magical, tender and warm... despite of the brisk weather. 
2. Not that many people. Obviously, there will be a Christmas rush of tourists coming to celebrate the holidays, but it will be always less than the huge crowds of the summertime. 
3. Ok, there are two main points only. 

So, what should you wear and how do you prepare for a wintery session in the City of Light? Here are a few suggestions. 

1. Black and classic all the way. Black and dark colors (burgundy red or navy blue) work best with the earthy tones that the city develops during the cold months. It will make you stand out from the greys, browns, oranges and yellows of the background. 
2. Layer up. The weather in Paris can be a little fickle and moody, one year it can be dry and mild while another year windy and drizzly. To fight this, it's best to just keep an eye on the weather the week before your trip to have an idea of what to expect and layer up according to the temperature. It will also give some variety for your portraits to lose some of the layers during the session. 
3. Go to a coffee shop after your session to warm up. Another idea is to coordinate with your photographer to finish your session at a coffee shop so you can order a hot drink to warm you up from the inside, while capturing a few more and iconic Parisian lifestyle images. 

One of my favorite sessions in the past couple of months is this one of Savannah and her hubby Jason. They hadn't had photos taken of them together in a long time, so they thought about doing a session during their trip to Paris. The weather was not that cold yet, so she was able to be somewhat comfortable in her beautiful long black dress, while Jason looked sharp in a suit. If you notice that there is a nice balance between color vs black and white photos, they requested their album to be half in color and half in black and white, which I just love! 

Despite the wind at Bir Hakeim (it is usually windy because there is nothing to block the gusts), the both of them managed to stay warm and went for a coffee right after our session ended. 

So, if you are planning to visit Paris in the cold months and you are not sure wether or not to book a photo session - don't panic. Plan ahead, follow these suggestions and you can have a gorgeous album despite of the chilly weather!