#30 – Shoot during the “golden hour” for the perfect portrait glow.

You know the look.

It’s about two in the afternoon on a glorious summer day. The kids are playing in the sprinkler and you want to get a great shot. Click goes your camera and as you look at the back of the screen, you furrow your brow and deliver the look that says – “this just does not seem right.”

When it comes to taking better pictures, there’s a time and place for everything.

Shooting outdoors in big, bright sunlight can give you some pretty ugly photos. It’s why wedding photographers tend to shy away from mid-day shoots. The sun is high. The sun is bright. The sun fries everything in its path.

All that changes in the hour before the sun dips behind the horizon for the day. “The Golden Hour” happens before sunset, when that great big ball of fire starts to give off rich, soft yellows and oranges. Makes for great landscape shots – and even better portraits. Turn your subject into the light, turn off your flash and let everyone bask in the nicest light you can get outside of $5000 in equipment.

What you do…

·      Get outside an hour or so before dusk.

·      Turn your subject so they look into the fading sunlight.

·      Turn off your flash.

·      Click.