When is the best time to schedule a photo session?
Any photographer will tell you that the best time to shoot is during golden hour. For those who don’t speak photographer, golden hour is one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. In the summer months, this is usually 6am and 7pm.
There is also blue hour which is typically 20-30 minutes after sunset and just before sunrise. Blue hour makes for really cool, mellow, and silouhette light.
However, while golden hour makes for dreamy warm photos, it doesn’t always work with everyone’s schedule. There are plenty of other good times to shoot. Honestly pretty much any time of the day is a good time to shoot but your photographer needs to know how to work the light and you should understand a little more of how the light works.
Blue Hour
Just after Golden Hour
Some photographers might refuse to shoot any other time than golden or blue hour. There could be a few reasons to this so let me explain.
- They don’t know how to shoot in other light. Now, before you doubt your photographers ability, you should know that this is NOT in the beginners manual to photography. Shooting in full sun is an aquired skillset because you have to work with so much more than just people. You’re balancing settings, sunlight, AND people.
- They have an aesthetic that they don’t want to waiver from. Have you ever noticed a photographers instagram feed? Most of the time, the colors all look the same. This is what I mean when I say they have an aesthetic they are trying to maintain.
- They just don’t like the look. Again, this could be an aesthetic or just a personal or client preference.
Golden Hour
Full Sun
Here’s what you need to expect if you can’t shoot in a golden or blue hour:
- Shadows – unless you are able to find a fully shaded area where you can shield from that 2:00pm sun, then you can expect shadows on the face. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The only shadows I really recommend staying away from are tree shadows. Tree shade is not always the answer unless its totally thick and provides an even shade.
- Harsh light – you’re going to be bright but the colors of your clothes and your skin will be true and clean.
- Trial and error – In bright light, you’ll need to move around to work with the light and this might result in some trial and error.