One of the most important aspects of photography is lighting. Without proper lighting, your images won’t turn out the way you want them. Personally, I’m a little obsessed with lighting. I notice light everywhere I go. I think to myself, “This room is really bright and airy” or “I would never want to have a photo shoot in this place”.

When you take photography outside, you have even less control over the lighting. Mid-afternoon, when most weddings take place, is a terrible time to shoot outdoors. So we often end up having to be creative and or find some shade. When you are in control of the timing of your shoot though, like with a portrait session, you can choose the time of day. That helps with the lighting, too.

My favorite time of day is the “Golden Hour” or the hour before sunset. The sun is setting and casts a warm glow over everything. No harsh shadows, just creamy, beautiful light. I had a maternity shoot on the beach recently during this hour and I was not disappointed with the light. It was one of those sessions that every photographer dreams of- Perfect location, gorgeous subjects and beautiful light.

Check out all of the photos here.

I‘ve included some of my favorites below.