Make Time for Golden Hour Wedding Photos
So as you probably already know, I’m for the most part a documentary shooter. I try not to get involved in the order of the day, preferring to stay incognito where possible. But if there’s one place I’d make an exception, it’s here: let’s plan to make time for golden hour wedding photography - no matter when sunset is scheduled for your wedding, you won’t regret going out and getting some semi-posed shots in the evening.
Golden hour is that special time just before sunset when the sun is low in the sky and the light is perfect. Lets be totally clear though - its the 45min or so just before sunset that are my all time favourite. When the sun is setting or has just set you can get some absolutely epic-riot-of-colour in the sky silhouette style shots but if we make time just before the sun dips there is a wee bit more in the way of versatility to what we can capture.
Key point to remember here - don’t make a hard plan to pop out the door at when your weather app tells you sunset is - that might be too late!
And - semi-posed? Well, that’s where I’ll take you out and place you in beautiful light, but then work with you to get relaxed images without fussing over every detail. Remember this is after a day of being photographed. I find that most of my couple are well up too speed by then and these are often the most natural pictures of the two of you all day. Bathed in that soft sunlight and post wedding day glow!
The changing of the seasons in Scotland mean that Golden hour happens at different times - from 10PM in high summer to much much earlier in the winter (sometimes pre-5pm). April/May and September/October are hugely popular times of year for getting hitched - and golden hour usually falls between 6.30-7.30pm in these periods. Which can be right at the time dessert is served! Trust me when I say it’s worth keeping your pudding in the fridge for 10min and making the best use of that delicious golden light! Being a wedding photographer in Scotland means that I photograph weddings Coast to Coast from Seamill to Stonehaven and the sunset behaves differently in both. On the West coast the sun sets into the sea so you get a little more leeway in time alternatively in The East The sun light up the dunes and waves but can dip out a little earlier than you might expect!
If Golden hour wedding photos are high up your list of priorities then be led by your team (both video and photo!) and if they come to you and say its time - Move Fast! This is Scotland after all and the weather never stays the same way for long!
No Sunset Photography, No Problem:
Blue Hour Can Be Just As Cool!
Sometimes, we don’t get that outrageous direct sunlight skimming across the landscape at this time of night. Sometimes it’s partly or fully obscured by clouds - and that’s fine we all know what we signed up for getting married in Scotland!. Magic hour is still magic regardless - and the aptly named blue hour is that exact same period just before and just after sunset, just without the direct sunlight. And it’s still pretty damn awesome, and perfect for some of those dramatic silhouette portraits.
