I think I may have 10,000 photos of the sky at sunset on my phone and my family knows I’m always the first one to say “the sky is pretty” during those last few minutes before sunset.

Golden hour is my favorite time of day to shoot! The light is creamy and golden and can be so soft and magical. I get really excited over glowy, angel hair as it falls behind my client in beautiful highlights.

That last hour before sunset changes so fast and every moment gives a chance for a new photo. The light starts bright and beautiful and then slowly softens to a dreamy, glowy, soft light and then right in the last minutes everything becomes cool and blue and lovely. If you’re really lucky, you’ll get a beautiful pink light thrown in there too!

Nowhere is golden hour more magical than at the beach! I LOVE golden hour on the beach. The light on the water and the sand… I can’t get enough!! I could literally sit and just watch the sky change. It doesn’t matter how many times I see it, it’s always amazing to watch. Every sky is new and different and every moment is so different. Give me all the cotton candy clouds at the beach!

Tips for a great golden hour shoot:

• Check the sunset time and add 30 minutes for a good ballpark on start time. That will give us time to meet up, get settled, and allows a little buffer time for moving around, changing clothes, or bribing kiddos.
• Golden hour can be a tricky time for littles so try adjusting nap times a little later and bring all the snacks! You can usually get a quick early dinner in before your session and I’m always in favor of a post-photo session ice cream bribe!
• Be mindful of your location as the sun gets lower! It gets dark FAST, especially when you’re in a super shady area. It’s better to start a session in a shadier place and then end in a more open area to take advantage of ALL of that glowy light!