Best time of the day for photos

We took photos before and after our ceremony, which started at 5:30. So we were in the golden hour after our ceremony. If you want sunset photos, obviously you have to time that just right. However, if you don't want to be out late, a good photographer should be able to edit out any unwanted light.

Most couples I've talked to had their pictures taken after 1pm and they look stunning. Personally I don't like blinding light that is so popular where the photographer shoots straight into the sun. All you can see is a shadow of the person and the color is distorted. I've seen pictures on Instagram and blogs that photographers gush over as being the best because it's golden hour and to be honest they don't look any better than a mid day picture.

It's all personal preference. Some blogs I've read have beautiful pictures but the photographer's attitude is condescending "don't let your clients talk you into photographing any other time than golden hour because they aren't professionals and therefore don't lnow what is best" and other photographers work with you with no issues. Make sure you're on the same page when you interview them.

Dealing with the same problem. I live in MN and photographer wants to take our pictures on rocks and ledges near waterfalls during that same time frame...It's not quite nice here for that yet and I'm a freeze baby that will be wearing a dress. Also we're in this weird in between season where the parks are still soggy and wet.

Golden hour light is beautiful, but it is fleeting. And you can of course still get beautiful photos at other times of the day (the harsh light of noon is probably the least preferable), on cloudy days, and indoors. It's all about the skill of your photographer. If you like her portfolio, then I would just trust her expertise and advice, while also making it work with your schedule.

Hey Emely!


We actually did our engagement pictures the same way. We drove two hours to a sunset mountain shoot and it was SO cold! It was totally worth the long drive and late night, in my opinion!
Here are a couple of ours!

I am a photographer. Light makes a huge difference. Traveling early or late is worth it to take advantage of good light.

Trust your photographer. You are paying them to create great images, and you will only be limiting the work they can produce if you have them shoot in less than optimal conditions.

View Quoted Comment So pretty!! 🥰 thank you for sharing your pictures!!

View Quoted Comment Thank you!!

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your input!

View Quoted Comment Here it’s getting warmer but I’m already getting prepared to be cold in my dress! Lol

You can get great photos at any time but think if it on a spectrum. Noon is the absolute worst (harsh light coming straight down on you). The hour right before sunset and after sunrise will be the best. The closer you get to sunset, the better the photos. Photos at 5 will likely be fine, but just know the closer you push to the straight up noon sun the more challenging the light will be.

The main concern with light is the harsh midday sun that creates awful looking shadows. But if it's cloudy, then the light is scattered and there won't be any harsh shadows. You can get really nice photos any time of the day but I understand the appeal of the golden hour. But golden hour shots pretty much all turn out orangey or yellowy in hue. You say you're shooting in the mountains? Maybe you want to capture more of the bluey or green hue of the mountain backdrop? In that case, golden hour isn't really good for that.

We did ours in fall/winter, but we didn't do a golden hour shoot and the sky was fairly clear of clouds. They still came out really nice! We did get some during golden hour as well, but I liked all of our photos!

This was normal light:

This was golden hour:

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The are beautiful. I think the natural light in the first photo looks great.

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During winter the sun is lower in the sky throughout the day compared to the summer, which creates more flattering light. In the summer, the sun is super harsh throughout most of the day and the worst around noon when it is directly overhead. This is a great example of how time of year influences good light - when days are shorter the sun is at a more flattering angle for a longer period of time. Your latitude will also affect the quality of light as well. The closer to the equator you are, the less difference there is in the length of days between "winter" and "summer" and light has a similar quality at the same time of day throughout the year. But where I live, in New Hampshire, there is a huge difference between summer and winter days, and the closer you get to the poles, the more exaggerated that difference is.

Weather is also a factor, as clouds will diffuse the light and create softer shadows, but will also cause it to appear darker earlier compared to a cloudless day. A good photographer should understand all the nuances of the light based on the season, time of year, environmental conditions like weather and cloud cover, and where you are shooting. There are even apps that photographers can use to figure out what angle the sun rises and sets at, and how geological and landscape features like being on a mountain or in a valley will impact what time the sun dips below the horizon. Trust your photographer!