What’s The Best Time of Day to Shoot?
You’ve finally done it – you’ve booked that family portrait session that you’ve been putting off for months! The family is on board, the clothes have been picked out, the kids appropriately bribed but wait – the photographer wants you to meet up WHEN? 7 AM? 7 PM? Do they have any idea what kind of schedule you keep?
“Natural light” photography has become very popular in the past decade or two. Part of the reason is that an influx of weekend warrior photographers ( folks without formal training or experience ) have spent decent money on camera equipment that they can do an OK job as long as the conditions are ideal. The more natural light available, the better then chance the automatic settings on their camera can help do the job for them. That being said, many of the old stalwarts of the craft still agree that an hour and a half before sunset and after sunrise still provides the some of the most beautifully romantic light available for us to use.
Why those specific times of the day then? If you’ve ever tried to use a cell phone to get a shot of the family out to eat at a restaurant at night then you already know the answer. Maybe you noticed that their foreheads were really bright and their eyes were dark ( the raccoon effect ) – this is because the majority of the light is coming from overhead lighting. What you may have also noticed is that it’s rarely flattering. The same thing happens in the middle of the day outside – light from the sun comes straight down making our foreheads look almost white and our eyes looks dark in family portraits. Not only does the light come from a more flattering angle earlier and later in the day, but it also takes on a golden color that Hollywood learned how to capitalize on a long time ago.
We want to provide you with the best quality we can – and if a slight timeline inconvenience gets you a wall portrait you can enjoy for years then we’re happy to bend our hours ( remember, we have to be there that late/early too ) to make sure you get that gorgeous shot. Need ideas on where? Give us a call at 978-854-5348.