The best time of day for your wedding portrait is during the golden hour. In this blog post, I'll explain why golden hour is the best time of day for wedding photography and offer tips on how to make the most of it.
The Science of Golden Hour
Golden hour is when the sun is low on the horizon, typically an hour before sunset or after sunrise. The light is warm, soft, and flattering during this time, making it the perfect time for wedding photography. The sun's angle during golden hour creates a natural diffused light that helps reduce harsh shadows and create a more pleasing image. This is especially important for portraits, as it helps to create a natural-looking picture.
Golden Hour Locations
Many people overthink the photo locations when it comes to wedding photography. Most of the time, you can make anything work. Most of the time during a wedding in the city we just step outside using whatever is around the venue for a couple of quick photos and then head back inside. During the golden hour, I look for a dark background and have the sun in the background or to the subject's side. The dark background will create a warm light around the subject. I expose the photograph for the sunlight and then brings up the shadows and overall exposure when editing the photos in Lightroom. This thought process can be applied to any type of wedding venue during golden hour.
One of my favorite locations during Golden hour is The Boston Esplanade. The warm and soft light of the setting sun creates the ideal atmosphere for some relaxed portraits, and the views of both the water and the Boston skyline are stunning. It's an easy location to get to for couples getting married at venues like the Liberty Hotel or Hampshire House Boston.
How to Plan for Golden Hour Photos
During this time of day, I don’t spend more than 5-10 minutes with my wedding couples for a couple reasons. One is I’m a wedding photojournalist, so I don’t take a lot of portraits in general. The other reason why is golden hour happens during toasts. So we don’t have much time to spend on these photos. If you want to take advantage of this type of light I recommend talking with your wedding planner and DJ to find a gap between toasts and dinner.
Conclusion
The light during the golden hour is the best time for portraits. As a Boston wedding photographer, I've had the opportunity to create many photographs during golden hour. The soft light of golden hour creates a light that you can get any other time of the day. If you're planning a wedding in Boston, I recommend planning ahead and working with your wedding planner and DJ to make the most of the golden hour light.
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