Choosing when to take photos can be tricky. From what I have learned, it usually is a balance between your skill level as a photographer, your personal preferences, and your client’s preferences. In this blog post, I’ve compiled a few questions to ask yourself (as the photographer and the client) to really get a feel for what time of day is best for your photos. Ultimately though, it will come down to what you prefer. My best advice: try to learn as much as you can, but go with your gut!

So let’s get down to it. When choosing the best time of day for photos, ask yourself these questions!

Who is your subject?

This question is first because it may be the most important question to ask when choosing a time of day for photos. If you’re taking professional headshots, the romantic light of sunset may not be the best choice. But for a couple taking engagements, that lighting may be perfect. Before you get ahead of yourself thinking about locations or lighting, think about what would look best for your subject.

What are your time restrictions?

One of the first things you should consider when choosing the best time of day for photos is what time of day you are available to take pictures. If you or your clients are only available in the morning, that’s the lighting you’ll need to workaround. This may seem obvious, but sometimes it’s important to have a reminder to be practical.

Is your subject comfortable in front of the camera?

It may seem like a silly question to ask when talking about good lighting for pictures, but just hear me out. If you are working in a small window of “perfect” lighting, you may not want to have to spend a lot of time coaching a client on posing. Whether you’re the in front or behind the camera, take some time to consider whether or not you’re good under pressure. If not, maybe don’t pick lighting that will limit your time.

What is your desired lighting?

Take a moment to assess what mood you’re looking for in your photos. If you’re chasing that dreamy, sun-soaked vibe, then a golden hour shoot may be a good idea. If you want your colors to be a little bit more clear, try shooting during mid-morning or mid-afternoon. You won’t be as hard-pressed for time and the harsh lighting from the sun will be a little bit more lenient.

Where is your location?

There’s no denying it, some locations speak for themselves. They don’t need golden hour to light them up, they are gorgeous during any time of the day. At the same time, there are some locations that actually look better at sunrise or sunset. So take some time and look critically at your location of choice. Will the lighting make or break your photos? It may sound funny, but if you want to shoot at a specific location, you’ll want to find lighting that compliments that location, not the other way around. As always, it’s important to scout out your location before you shoot there so you can be aware of what lighting looks best.

What is the predicted weather for that day?

Mother nature is often unpredictable and difficult to plan around. But with the help of a few weather forecasting apps, you should be able to roughly tell what to plan on for a photo shoot. If the day has nice weather, you should be fine to continue your original plans for the time of day you’d like to shoot. If the weather looks like it’s going to be cloudy or overcast, you may be able to adjust your schedule a little bit. When clouds cover the direct sunlight, they naturally diffuse light, making the lighting a little bit darker. While this may be helpful during some times of day (like mid-day) it is not so good for other times. It’s important to be aware of how the weather may impact your lighting.

I hope these tips were helpful to you! What else should we add to this list?