Taking family pictures can be downright STRESSFULLLLLLLLL……. We’ve all been there. First you have to find a date that works for everybody, then you have to think about style and clothing choices (which is why I have created a 25+ page style guide just for you when you book!) but THEN…… comes the question when is the best time to take family pictures?!

So, from a momma and a photographer here are the THREE best times for photo sessions you should stick to, and my personal favorite time to shoot (which I think will surprise you!)

So, without further ado……

#1 Sunset- aka Golden Hour

Most photographers will tell you the best time to take family pictures is SUNSET, also dubbed golden hour, and I’m sure you can see why! Golden hour starts roughly 2 hours before sunset, with the absolute best “glowiest” (do you like my technical terms…) light in the hour before sunset. So, this will fluctuate with the seasons, but with young babes CAN BE problematic because they are hungry, tired, have hit that witching hour of fussiness, OR mercury is out of alignment and they are just angry at the universe…..

So, what about golden hour makes it one of the best times to take family pictures? Well, without getting to technical, because I can make my husbands eyes glaze over in about 3 minutes when I get on a roll about lighting…….. It’s because the sun is not as harsh, giving it that glowy warm color, and in most situations it is filter by trees making it more even, which also gives off more ambient, secondary light……

Click here to check out more of my golden hour glow images under my galleries…..

#2 Sunrise

This may surprise you, especially if you know me on a personal level because I LOVE my sleep, like if sleep was an Olympic sport, then I am a Gold Medalist contender for SURE……. But one thing that has me happily hopping out of bed is a sunrise session!!! Can you see why it is one of the best times to take family pictures?! It’s GLORIOUS ya’ll, and add that to the beach, and I am in a cotton- candied sky photographic heaven!

Sunrise has that clean fresh light, in comparison to sunsets golden glowy light. They are both equally beautiful, just vastly different, which is something to think about when you think about the overall tone of your images.

Another reason I really like sunrise sessions, especially for younger children is normally they are MUCH happier and energetic in the morning, which works in our favor in this situation, but not so much on a rainy Saturday morning when your toddler decides it’s time for a Mickey Mouse Club House Rave at 5 am……

Also, even though you will have to get up more towards the middle of the night, the house is quiet and you can get ready in peace, and don’t have to worry about wiping someone’s hiney right after you just applied eyelash glue……..

#3 10:00 a.m.

This brings me to #3, the best time for any in-home/ inside sessions. 10 am is going to be the sweet spot for in-home, natural light sessions. I specialize in natural light photography. There is absolute nothing like clean natural light, it cannot, IMO, be artificially recreated. I have seen some beautifully done sessions with flash and studio lighting, but it’s just not my jam. So, if you want that light and airy look of natural light, remember 10 am!

Also, on a separate note give me ALL the SQUISHY babiessssssss……. Sorry, I just felt like I needed to put that out there……

But, Anyhoo…… I hope this has been helpful! So, next time you start thinking of family pictures think sunset, sunrise, or 10 am!