Why Golden Hour is My Favorite Time to Shoot

If you’ve been around for a while-or even if you’re new here- you’ll notice that the majority of my images are shot at Golden Hour.

What’s golden you might ask? Golden hour is the hour or so before sunset where the sun/sky gives off that gorgeous golden glow! It is my favorite time to start a session!

While, yes— it is 100% possible to still get beautiful images mid day, if done properly—you will get an entirely different look and very different colors as opposed to shooting later in the evening.

A lot of parents are hesitant this time of year to shoot at golden hour now that the sun is setting so late—trust me mamas, I GET it— but let me put a few little notes in your head to ease that anxiousness....

  • Kids LOVE being outside and there's so much to explore! Even if they get a little fussy, which I 100% expect past bedtime and it is 100% normal, it's usually an easy fix with a few distractions and some silly noises

  • You cannot, cannot, cannot recreate that amazing light. Period. The golden colors are something you just can't replicate during the day. If you’re hiring me, I assume it’s because you LOVE my work, so trust me!

  • CANDIDS. Candid images are my GO-TO. If I was a little kid, I wouldn’t want to sit and smile at a random person with a camera either. Let me help east the stress of “posing” and just enjoy your family. Playing together, snuggling and laughing make for the perfect photos, and help your little ones feel less stressed. Also, when all else fails—I brring snacks. Snacks always win.

Trust me when I say it is WORTH IT. If all of this still doesn’t ease your mind, and you’re still unsure about letting the kiddos stay up late for photo day, I would definitely suggest considering a fall family session instead of summer! The sun sets around 5pm in the fall, so golden hour occurs a lot earlier—allowing you to get the look you want AND get those kiddos to bed on time!