TIMEING & LIGHTING
No matter the season, in our experience we have found that timing your engagement session for when the sun is the least harsh throughout the day—either around two hours before sunset or the first two hours after sunrise—creates the best lighting for photos, which is why it is extremely important to be on time to our session. There are many benefits to shooting at this time.
🔆 Soft Shadows & Even Light
During golden hour, the sun is low on the horizon, so the light travels through more of the atmosphere. This diffuses it, creating gentle shadows and avoiding the harsh contrasts you get at midday.
🎨 Warm Tones = Instant Mood
The light takes on a golden, reddish hue that flatters skin tones, enriches colors, and adds emotion to landscapes. It's nature’s built-in filter.
👁️🗨️ Direction Matters
The low angle of the sun allows for more creative lighting — backlighting for glowing hair, side lighting for texture and depth, and front lighting for warmth and softness.
💡 Bonus: Natural Lens Flare
Golden hour often brings beautiful lens flares and sunbursts that add drama and life to your shots — no editing required.
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