Chasing Golden Hour: A Guide to Natural Light Portraits

The hour before sunset is the most forgiving light a portrait photographer will ever get. The sun sits low, the shadows stretch long and soft, and everything is bathed in a warm, diffused glow that flatters almost any subject.

Scouting the Location

I always arrive at least an hour before the light gets good. That gives me time to walk the location, note where the sun is heading, and find pockets of open shade for when direct light is too harsh. Tree lines, open fields, and west-facing walls all become useful tools once you know how to read them.

Positioning Your Subject

Backlighting during golden hour creates a soft rim of light around your subject's hair and shoulders. Placing the subject between the camera and the sun, then exposing for their face, gives that dreamy, glowing look that so many people associate with golden hour portraits.

Working Quickly

The best light lasts only about twenty minutes, so I plan my shot list in advance. Knowing exactly which poses and compositions I want to capture means I'm not wasting precious minutes deciding on the spot.

Golden hour won't fix bad composition or a distracted subject, but paired with a plan, it can turn an ordinary session into something magical.