Apple Blossoms | 2023 Student Model Photo Shoot | Ionia MI

Photo shoots at the apple orchard in the spring are one of my favorite photo shoots. The apple blossoms look so beautiful when they are in full bloom! The down side – they are so time-sensitive and dependant on the weather. These past few years have been harder and harder to schedule because of the cold April weather and frost.

Apple Blossom Locations

In previous years we have used Peirson’s Orchard, but last 2 years I have used Hanulcik Farm Market at his apple orchard. The orchard is still pretty new, but it checks my most important box – good lighting! Another location I’ve used in the past – and hope to use again soon – is Applewood Farms. It’s a wedding venue with a beautiful orchard in the back. Every location has gorgeous light and the apple blossoms bloom a little differently in each location, making scheduling shoots a little easier. Apple blossoms only bloom for about 2 weeks (if we’re lucky), which can make planning super tricky, but having 3 locations, gives us a tiny bit more flexibility.

Outfit Planning

I tell my student models to wear spring colors with pastels or bright and bold colors. It’s usually best to stick with solids, but floral patterns can work well. Dresses, skirts and rompers are always a good choice, but I also encourage jeans and a cute top if you’re like me and don’t wear dresses. To help with visually planning their outfits for their apple blossom photo shoots, the student models were given my summer outfit Pinterest Board, which groups outfits for spring and summer theme.

Last year, only 2 student models were able to participate in the apple blossom theme due to scheduling. Between the late and unexpected blooms and rain, it got a bit complicated. We were still able to use Hanulcik Farm Market and I get to show off all the images from the shoots!