Family

As a Hampton Roads family photographer who aims for light-filled, classic and joyful images – timing is EVERYTHING! I work with natural light for all of my sessions and getting that pretty light is the very first (and one of the most important!) steps to those magical family photos. Here are my tried and true thoughts on timing your session just right so you get the ideal light and the ultimately the best outcome for your photo session, as well as some tips to help your family manage it best!

The Best Time of Day for Hampton Roads Photography:

The Hour Before Sunset –

I am sure you have heard of “golden hour”, this happens twice each day but my absolute favorite between them is the one before sunset. This is typically the hour before the sun sets and of course, the exact time depends on the what time of year it is. This is the time that I strongly recommend for almost all of my outdoor photo sessions. During this evening golden hour, the sun is soft, golden and glowy – all of which makes for beautiful images. The skin tones on the family members look better and it just creates an overall better outcome for your photos. Mid-day light is the opposite. This light can be harsh and it tends to create lots of shadows that are not flattering and will be distracting in your photos. I promise that the difference is enough to make timing the session around that golden light worth it.

As a Hampton Roads family photographer, I also prefer the evening golden hour because it is more predictable and typically more manageable than the morning option. I love sun (just the soft kind!) – and if a forecast changes or it gets dark, that’s something we can watch throughout the day and make adjustments if needed.

A Morning Session –

As shared above, the other time of day to get that magical light of golden hour is right at sunrise and the hour following it. Again, the exact time changes throughout the year! This can be a good option for families with little kids who are nervous about that later time for their family. There are times that I schedule a session at this time of day but more often than not, I suggest a specific location that we can shoot around 8am (a little later than sunrise!) because of way the light comes in at that spot. This way, we are still getting the golden light without requiring the family to be up, ready + at the location SO early. Most of my families appreciate this option and location! 😉 You can see an example of a morning session at the location I recommend on my Instagram here.

Tips for Managing your Hampton Roads Photography Session with Little Kids:

Whether you do a morning or evening outdoor session, there are definitely some tips that can help you have the best session possible in case you are hesitant about your family managing your session at that time:

1 – Plan accordingly.

If your session is in the evening and you have little kids, maybe you could plan for a later nap time that day? This could help with a bit of a later bedtime. You could also bring pajamas in the car and have them change at the location, and fall asleep on the way home. Worried that they might get hungry? Bring snacks. This is something a tip I share for ALL my photo sessions, because snacks usually can cure a lot of issues.

2 – Frame it as a fun + special experience.

If your session is past bedtime, that’s probably something that they are going to be excited about – so frame it that way! Talk about it as something positive and special – and when you do that, it really will be! 🙂 As a Hampton Roads family photographer, I like the experience of my photo sessions to be just as meaningful as the photos.

3 – Bring a reward.

I am never above rewarding kids at my photo sessions – a small incentive can go a long way! I also will often bring marshmallows during the session (small + white!), to use throughout the session for little ones. This can be extra effective in keeping kids attention when the session may be a little past bedtime!

Lastly, what I also want you to know is that in addition to being a Hampton Roads family photographer, I am a mom of four – so rest assured that I GET IT. I definitely understand your hesitation to plan for a photo session at bedtime or at a time of day where the kids can be a little harder to handle, but I promise it will be worth it and that they will almost always surprise you!

If you are interested in finding a Hampton Roads Family Photography to capture images for your family, I would love to connect with you! You can inquire through my website here or you can email me at ashleybricknerphoto@gmail.com. I hope to get the opportunity to work with your family!