Best Time of Day for a Family Photo Session
You have invested time, money, and energy into your family photo session, so I want to schedule your photos during the most beautiful light of the day; this happens about one hour before sunset. Time of day plays a huge role in how the light (and in turn your family) looks in photos. In fact, I’d say next to which photographer you choose, time of day is the most important factor in how your photos will turn out.
How does the time affect my family photos?
The hour after sunrise or before sunset is known by photographers as “Golden Hour”. This is when the sun is low along the horizon and warm, soft light surrounds its subjects. A warm glow is flattering, giving the effect of sun kissed skin (almost all Seattlites could use a little sun tan, amIright?!). This soft light, low on the horizon fills in fine lines and eliminates harsh shadows. When you look at my portfolio of images, notice the soft glowing light surrounding my subjects and how it provides an ethereal quality. Light is the magic sauce, and I know you want your family to have that magic sauce!
Why isn’t it ideal to take our photos in the middle of the day?
Have you ever walked out into the sun at noon when the light is harsh and you have to squint? This is not ideal for flattering pictures. Harsh shadows under the nose, chin, eyes, or, even worse, our midsection adds contrast (and brings attention) to areas we least want to highlight. Instead we want soft, flattering light that is even on our skin.
Think of it as shining a flashlight (many of us have done this while camping here in the PNW). We all know if you shine a flashlight from underneath your face, upwards, you are setting the scene for a spooky, scary story! If you shine the flashlight from high above, down on your face (as it would be in the middle of the day), you get dark, unflattering shadows. But if you move the flashlight far away and point it towards you, voila!, soft diffused light envelops you. Beautiful!
It’s often overcast in Seattle, can we shoot earlier on a cloudy day?
Cloudy skies (which may lead you to wonder what to do if it is rainy the day of your session) are not a bad thing and actually act as a big soft box, filtering the light - yay, Seattle! However, even if there are clouds, if the light/sun is coming from high in the sky, we will still get shadows in all the wrong places.
One hour before sunset is the best time of day for family photos.
Since sunset times vary greatly in the PNW, the best way to know what time your session will begin (and how I schedule in advance) is to look at an online sunset calculator. The sunset time (and how flexible your kids’ bed times are) is something you may want to take into consideration when deciding what time of year you would like to schedule your session. Spring and Fall sessions generally start between 6-7pm. Longer summer days push sessions later in June and July, and short winter days call for earlier sessions in late October.
If you are looking for a beautiful sunset session for your family, look no further!
Contact me for session availability, and I will provide you access to my online booking calendar where you can see available dates and corresponding times.
