The Beauty of Light
If you've ever tried to book a session with me and noticed that my default available times only seem to be in that window shortly before sunset (and coincidentally shortly before or after your child’s normal bedtime…), you're not imagining it. There's a very intentional reason for that, and it has everything to do with light.
As a natural light photographer, the sun is one of my most important pieces of equipment. The quality, direction, and intensity of that light can make the difference between a portrait that glows and one that feels flat. Or worse, one where everyone is squinting and the highlights are blown out. So let me break down how I think about light, why I use it the way I do, and what it means for you when we plan your session.
Why I love golden hour (and why so many photographers do)
Golden hour, roughly the hour before sunset or after sunrise, has a nearly mythic reputation in photography, and honestly, it earns it. When the sun is low on the horizon, its light travels through more of the atmosphere before it reaches your eyes (and my camera). That extra distance softens it, warms it, and diffuses it in a way that the midday sun simply can't replicate.
The position of the sun offers soft, warm, diffused lighting that reduces harsh shadows and strong highlights and lends itself to beautiful skin tones and a natural warm glow.
For portraits specifically, this means more flattering light on faces, a warmth that photographs beautifully regardless of skin tone, and far fewer of the things we're always trying to work around like harsh shadows, deep eye sockets, and that inevitable squint when the sun is in someone's face.
Golden hour also opens up our location options. Here in West Michigan, the sun sets over the lake and the beaches. Photographing at golden hour gives us that breathtaking backlighting that retains the details and colors of the sky and Lake Michigan. It gives us flexibility in where we stand, how you're positioned, and the kinds of light we can play with because we're working with the light rather than against it.
The exception: overcast Days
When a thick layer of clouds rolls in, something interesting happens: the entire sky becomes one giant softbox. Instead of a single harsh light source beaming down from above, the clouds scatter and diffuse the sunlight, wrapping your family in soft, even light that's incredibly flattering to photograph in. Those harsh shadows under eyes and chins that make midday so difficult? Gone. The blown-out highlights and squinting that come with direct sun? Not a problem. This means that on a properly overcast day, beautiful portraits are achievable across a much wider window of time. I keep an eye on forecasts leading up to every session, and if clouds are in the picture, that shapes how I think about timing. Even if your session is scheduled for an hour before sunset, I will typically contact you and offer to push the session an hour or two earlier.
If your family's schedule makes evening sessions genuinely difficult, an overcast day is often the ideal workaround. The light is gentle, the kids aren't squinting, and we have the freedom to shoot earlier without sacrificing image quality. It's one of those cases where what looks like "bad weather" on paper is actually a gift for portraits. If you're hoping for an earlier slot and you're flexible on the exact date, don't be afraid to mention it. A cloudy day might open up more options than you'd expect.
What about other times of day?
Here's the thing: I don't only photograph at golden hour. In fact, the majority of the work in my portfolio was captured outside of that window. Genuinely beautiful photographs are absolutely achievable at other times of day, it just requires being more intentional about how we use what we have.
When the sun is higher in the sky, it becomes more about finding the right shade: the open shade of a tree canopy, a building that blocks direct overhead light, or positioning you so the sun falls at your back rather than straight onto your face. These conditions can actually produce some stunning results with soft, even light on your face, and beautiful lens flare or rim light behind you. It just takes a bit more thought about where we place ourselves.
The lower the sun is in the sky, the more freedom we have. The higher it climbs, the more creative problem-solving comes into play. Which is why I almost always offer default availability in that 1 to 1.5 hour window before sunset. It gives us the most to work with.
The one time I rarely photograph paid sessions
I want to be straightforward with you: midday light, and the hours immediately surrounding it, is the one window I almost never schedule paid client work.
When the sun is directly overhead, it casts shadows straight down creating deep shadows under eyes, noses, and chins that are difficult to avoid regardless of where we position ourselves. It also makes it very hard to expose correctly without either blowing out the bright highlights or losing detail in the shadowed areas.
Now, I want to be clear: midday light can be worked with, and I do work with it. When I'm photographing everyday moments with my own kids or family members, I actually enjoy the challenge. I can play, experiment, and let the imperfections be part of the story without the pressure of producing a polished portrait. That kind of shooting has its own creative energy that I genuinely love.
But that's a different approach than the work you've booked me for. The style you hired me to create calls for light that flatters naturally from the start. The kind of light that lets me focus on you rather than on managing the technical challenges the sun is throwing at us. Midday stacks the odds against that specific outcome in a way that no other time of day does, and I'd rather be honest with you about that than cross my fingers and hope for the best. My goal is to set us up to get you exactly what you came to me for.
But what about bedtime? (Yes, I get it — I'm a mom too.)
Here's the part where I want to be really honest with you, because I know golden hour can feel like a cruel joke when you have young children.
Depending on the time of year, that magical pre-sunset window can fall anywhere from 7:30 to nearly 9:00 PM. For a lot of families that's smack in the middle of bath time, bedtime, and the fragile witching hour that no parent wants to disturb. I have two little ones of my own, so trust me, I am not judging you for wincing at an 8:00 PM session start time.
Here are a few things that have helped my families navigate this:
- Let the schedule slip, just once. For many families, a one-time late night is worth it for photos you'll treasure for decades. A little extra excitement (and maybe a treat!) can go a long way in keeping little ones happy and cooperative.
- Plan for a later bedtime that night. If you know the session is coming, don't fight the late start, lean into it. Let naps run a little longer that day, and give yourself permission to push bedtime back without guilt. One night off-schedule won't derail your routine.
- Consider a different season. Sunset times shift dramatically throughout the year. If a summer 8:30 PM session sounds impossible, a spring or fall session with a 6:00-7:00 PM golden hour might fit your family's schedule much more comfortably.
And if none of those feel workable? That's okay too. Just reach out and we'll find a time that makes sense for your family's life. Earlier sessions are absolutely possible. I just want you to know why I default to the times I do, so you can make the most informed choice for you.
What this means for booking your session
All of this is simply to say: when you see my availability sitting in that pre-sunset window, it's because I want your photos to be as beautiful as they can possibly be. That's the whole point.
That said, I completely understand that golden hour timing isn't always easy. I am always happy to discuss other options and find a time that works for your life. Just reach out, and we'll figure it out together.
Because at the end of the day, happy children and present family members beat out perfect light every single time. The best session is the one that actually happens, and I'll bring everything I know about light to make it stunning, whatever time we land on.