Professional photographers swear by the perfect light of the "
Golden hour is a special time that requires a little bit of planning to get right. The magic time of a golden hour for outdoor photos is an hour before sunset and an hour after sunrise.
The worst light of the day is between the hours of 10am and 2pm when the light comes from overhead. This creates terrible and unflattering shadows where we don't wait to see them (under our eyes, under our noses to make them seem bigger … no one wants that).
Any time between midnight and astronomical twilight should suffice. Just be sure to check when astronomical twilight begins in your area. The summer months find the Galactic Center best visible during the middle hours of the night.
The best time of day to take portrait photos is in the couple hours after sunrise and the couple hours before sunset. Within that time, it is better to shoot after the morning golden hour or before the evening golden hour.
Afternoon and Mid-Morning
With exposure worries out of the way, it's perfect for taking photos of all sorts of subjects and sceneries. However, you'll still have to pay attention to proper framing and the composition of your photos because lighting often appears flat and doesn't highlight the features of the subject.
Pose Like a Pro
Avoid non-photogenic poses as much as possible since they frequently appear awkward or uncomfortable. Maintain a straight back, a tall stance, and good posture. Also, pay attention to what you do with your hands - they can often feel awkward if you're not sure where to put them.
Tips for Picture Perfect Photographs
Long sleeves usually photograph better then short sleeves. Sleeveless blouses or dresses should be avoided completely. Try to avoid having your child's hair cut within one week of your scheduled picture day. Freshly cut hair, especially short hair, does not always lie just right.
Mid-Morning and Afternoon Outdoor Pictures
Since the sun isn't directly above your subject, you won't have to worry too much about harsh shadows that look super unflattering. Compared to the reddish, orange hues of sunset lighting, shooting before and after noon will produce a more yellow light.
What is golden hour? The last hour before sunset and the first hour after sunrise are coveted by professional photographers. Referred to as “the golden hour” or “magic hour,” these times provide the perfect light to capture stunning photos.
A noon sun is especially tough in portrait photos, because the eyebrows and forehead create harsh shadows over the subject's eye sockets, which is undesirable in a portrait photo. Wait until the sun is lower in the sky to improve your results.
So then, when IS the perfect time of day for family photos outside? Evening sessions are a true winner, every time. But, it's no secret that I adore early morning sessions, particularly in the summertime. And for many families, 8am is the perfect time of day for outdoor photos.
One of the first lessons you learn in photography is to shoot with the sun behind you. If the sun is behind you, the subject in your photo will be illuminated from the front, ensuring that your subject is evenly and well lit.
In photography, there is a concept called the “golden hour” which is the hour or two just before sunset or just after sunrise. At those times, the sun is low in the sky and creates beautiful warm light that is perfect for senior portraits.
Golden hour is great for most genres of photography. Blue hour goes well with landscapes (provided you have a tripod). Overcast lighting is versatile and flattering for flowers, portraits, street scenes, and more. And you should always avoid midday light, unless you're a street photographer.
Avoid bright or neon colors. They may look cute to our eye, however in a photograph they are distracting. They overpower the frame and even worse, they can leave color casts on their skin. In other words, the bright pink can make your daughter's skin look bright pink around her chin and neck.
Consider Different Locations to Showcase the Teen's Personality and Hobbies. Ask your client to bring items that show off their favorite hobbies in a senior portrait. Then, as you set up the shots, attractively place their items around them. If your senior plays a sport, use their gear in the photo.
Sharp cheekbones, a square jaw, and other angular facial features make for attractive subjects in photography because they better capture the available light. Whereas, light reflected from rounder faces scatters in all directions. Not everyone with a round face is more appealing.
Look up at the camera
Seriously, you may never want to take a photo ever again. As a rule of thumb, we recommend holding the camera so that the bottom of your phone is level with your eyes. This is high enough to avoid any double chin syndrome, and will also get the most out of your fluttering baby blues.
You typically are not lit (or posed) properly.
There is so much more than just knowing how to work a camera to produce a good photo. Lighting (and posing for that matter) is a huge factor.
Sunrise vs sunset weather conditions
The final main difference between sunrise and sunset is the weather conditions. While there is not a fixed rule, I would say that sunrise offers better weather conditions when it comes to photography compared to sunset. Two of the most noticeable differences are fog and reflections.
A scene that looks forgettable when shot during the day can be totally transformed if you shoot it after the sun goes down. Plus, by taking photos at night, you're more likely to get uninterrupted access to places that might be too busy to shoot in the middle of the day.
It's best to scope out a location about 45 minutes before sunset, get all of your equipment set up, and then relax and wait. Never give up until it gets dark because many times your deep reds and oranges won't appear until after the sun has moved past the horizon.