It is no secret...
I love photographing around the golden hour, which is approximately an hour before the sun starts setting. During the summer in Michigan, golden hour starts around 8pm which is a little bit too late in the day when photographing families with children, so I start shooting around 7pm and the first part of the photo shoot is in the shade. As the sun sets a little further, we move into the sunshine so I can capture those back lit photographs with the sun streaming down.
In the fall months...
we need to watch the sun, as golden hour becomes earlier and earlier, especially after the fall equinox in September. By mid October, I like to start my photo shoots around 4:30pm. Don't you just love how the light falls on them? They look so peaceful and warm. Even golden hour in the winter months is beautiful, so don't be afraid to book a photo shoot in January!
The closer we get towards sunset...
the more I can play with the mood of an image. The sun shines bright, shadows soften, and deepen all at the same time adding a pop of natural drama that I just can not achieve in Photoshop alone. I am always looking for the light, looking at the background critically (how much Photoshop will I need to make this picture look outstanding?), and I judge how well the light and background of an image will help me tell your story.
