How to Choose the Best Time for Family Portraits | Nashville Family Photographer Dolly DeLong Photography 

How to Choose the Best Time for Family Portraits

Clients often ask me when the best time for family portraits is. The reality is that there isn’t a “good” or “bad” time to take portraits. Instead, it’s about the look you’re going for in your photos. If you’re a family who wants flowers and brighter colors, spring is best. If you prefer something more muted or prefer darker colors, maybe fall (or winter) is better. There’s no right or wrong – it’s all about the feel you want in your photos. 

However, when it comes to the time of day for your family portraits, I have a few recommendations! 

Timing for Family Portraits

Sessions typically last about an hour and a half and when we can— I love to begin sessions at two different times of the day. Since I tend to shoot in a hybrid style (meaning I shoot with film and with my digital camera) I prefer to shoot around 10am and 2pm where there is plenty of light to work with. I prefer to shoot when the sun is lower in the sky to avoid harsh shadows and bright sun patches. The first two hours after sunrise is also an ideal time to shoot if that’s better for your family. We’ll still work within the location that you want for your family’s photos. But the time of day is important so we can have the most beautiful images possible! 

I schedule sessions during what I believe will be the best light of the day – which means that it’s super important to be on time. If you’re late to an evening session, we could run out of light before we’ve finished shooting and if your session takes place in the morning, the sun gets harsher as it rises. Lighting truly does matter more than anything for your family photos! If you want portraits with beautiful, even light, it’s important to work during these times of the day. I know with little ones, it can feel tricky! But, there are lots of ways to work around them – and as a mom myself, I know how to move quickly and make sure we work within the window they’re happiest in. 

Keep an eye on the blog for the next few weeks as I share more tips for family photos with you so that you can have the best session possible! 

Ready for more tips to plan your family portraits? Grab my Family Portrait Session Style Guide below! This will help you create the session of your dreams! 

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