When you book a photo session, whether it’s for yourself or your family, there are several variables to plan for. What do you wear? What do you need to bring with you? How will you look your best for the photo shoot? Among everything else, my clients often ask me what time of day is best for their photo session.
Don’t worry, because we’re here to help you through it all. Let’s start by talking about the timing of your session. The ideal time for your session will depend on several factors we’ll discuss.
What Type of Photo Session are You Booking?
The type of photo session affects the people in the portraits and our goals for the photo session. We have found that newborn sessions always work best when we start in the mid-morning, so we always book newborn photo sessions for 10 am. Other types of sessions like maternity portrait sessions and family sessions typically give us more scheduling options.
Who’s Getting Their Photo Taken and What are Their Schedules?
Photographing adults is an entirely different world than photographing children. With kids, we want to catch them while they’re in the best possible mood. That’s why, if you’re booking a family portrait session, we always ask about your kids’ nap schedules.
We’ll ask you about their typical nap schedules and when they seem to be the most positive and cooperative. While some parents offer to adjust their kids’ nap schedules to make time for a family photo session, it’s best to keep their sleep schedules consistent so they feel rested and ready to have fun during the session.
Where Will Your Photo Session Take Place?
Another factor that affects your photo session timing is the location of your photo session. If we’re taking portraits indoors, we have all the flexibility we could want because we can create any lighting we choose at any time of the day. If you prefer an outdoor aesthetic, it’s a bit trickier because we have to find the time that gives us the lighting we want.
While this can vary based on the look you want to create, the best time for an outdoor photo session is usually about an hour before sunset. This is known as the “golden hour” in photography it creates a soft, warm light that is gorgeous and flattering.
Planning Your Perfect Photo Session
Sure, there are several factors involved in planning the best time for your photo session, but if you take away one point from this blog, let it be this: we’re here to help! We’ll guide you through all the planning and details we need to decide, with our professional photography expertise in hand. To get started on the way toward your new favorite family photos, contact our Ames, IA area photo studio today.
201 Industrial Dr. , Roland, IA 50236 | contact@lovelymomentsbysynthia.com
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Lovely Moments Photography By Synthia is based in Iowa and available throughout including: Altoona | Ankeny | Bondurant | Boone | Des Moines | Gilbert | Jewell | Roland | Saylorville | Story City