In love with the timeless, soft glow of my fine art photographs? Learn why lighting plays a huge roll and can truly influence the outcome of your photos. 

One of the more frequent questions I get from clients is “how do you get your photos to have that soft glow?” and the answer is simple: Golden Hour! Golden Hour refers to the two hours before the sun officially sets and I typically schedule most of my sessions around this time.

Lighting can impact what my photos look like in every shape and form. While any time of day can be beautiful, I believe it’s important for my clients to understand the two reasons why Golden Hour is simply the best.

Golden Hour

First, Golden Hour is the time of day when the sun is the softest and most consistent in lighting. Because the sun is on the horizon, the rays need to travel through several layers of the atmosphere. Think of it this way: shining a flashlight through a white piece of paper versus without the paper. If using the paper, the light is going to be spread out and slightly diluted. Instead of the sun being over your head, the sun is on the horizon. This, in turn, creates soft and consistent colors in my editing process.

Second, because the lighting is so consistent, my clients often don’t have harsh shadows on their faces or their clothing items. Because my style of photography is fine art, it’s important that skin is soft, clothing looks delicate, and there are no harsh lighting issues to distract from my subjects.

You may be wondering “can’t we just use shade?” Yes, but also no. The answer isn’t super simple! Yes, I can always use shade to capture photos if sessions need to be during the day. No, because there are a few factors which could really ruin the look of photos. First, the sun can often reflect back colors onto clients even if they are in the shade. If my clients sit in the shade but they have grass in front of them, the green will reflect back onto their skin. Second, even though clients may be in the shade, there is still the potential to have harsh shadows under the eyes and nose. Even on a cloudy day, the sun is technically still above our heads and shadows can still exist.

Golden Hour is truly the best time to take family photographs. The light is absolutely stunning, soft, and magical. After officially becoming a client, I will send you my Session Guide with more information about Golden Hour Photos and how to prepare for your session!

While lighting can really impact your photos, so can what you wear! Click here to get a glimpse into what to wear for your session.