Daylight Savings & sessions: what you need to know!

I think that is one of the most dreaded phrases in parenting “Daylight Savings”. This year is the first year my 6 1/2 year old finally hit the phrase “it’s not bed time! it is still light outside!” I don’t know how we managed to escape that phrase until now, but whew, here we are!

So what does this have to do with your family and session? Well, you may have heard of the term “golden hour”. This is the time frame referring to the time of day before sunrise and sunset. During this time, the lighting is soft and warm—ideal for photos.

As a photographer and client, we want to avoid daytime harsh light. The sun being high in the sky creates harsh light and shadows. Making it hard on clients eyes (hello squinting) and tough to avoid harsh shadows!

Daylight savings time presents a difficult challenge for families, especially at the beginning of the season when you are still adjusting to new sleep schedules and patterns!

In the Spring/Summer, the sun does not set until close to 9pm. So evening sessions, are best between 6 (at the earliest) to 8:30ish. And morning sessions are best between 7:00am-10am.

During the fall/winter, sessions have to begin earlier because of the sun setting much earlier! So fall/winter sessions are best in the evening between 3:30-6pm. And early morning sessions are best between 8:30-10:00am.

So, what can I do for you?

Well, I can be as flexible as possible to make the session as easy for your family as I can!

I understand that some of you have early risers (much to your disappointment) but in this situation, if you are an early rising household, I am HAPPY to get you in when everyone is fresh and ready to go early! Many families opt for early morning sessions in the warmer months, because meltdowns start happening in the evening!

So what if you aren’t an early rising household or a fully functioning evening household? If possible, I recommend adjusting naps/rest time that day. Bribery, works wonders in this case, if you are willing! If mid-day is your sweet spot, we can chat, I can be selective on the location that I am confident will have some shade! The only caveat to this is that the location will be super limited! For example, if you want beautiful family photos in a large flower field at 2pm, it’s probably not possible. But if you want family photos in a garden where I can find some tree coverage, I can make it work!

Have questions on the best time for photos for your family? Contact me!