Dinner is at six. The kids need baths. Someone has homework. The baby goes down at seven and if she misses that window the whole night falls apart. I’ve been there and it is a challenge and now I'm asking you to meet me at a location an hour before the sun sets.
I work with families at all kinds of hours — morning sessions, afternoon sessions, whatever fits your life. But if you ever ask me what I'd choose for you? Golden hour, every time. Because what happens in that last hour of light before the sun drops below the horizon is something that cannot be recreated at 2pm on a Saturday, no matter how good the photographer is.
Here's why golden hour is worth every bit of the logistical chaos it takes to get there.
The light does something nothing else can
Golden hour — the hour just before sunset — is when the sun is low on the horizon and its light has to travel through more of the atmosphere to reach you. That longer path filters out the harsh blue tones and leaves something warm, soft, and dreamy.
It wraps around faces instead of flattening them or adding harsh lines of shadow. It turns ordinary landscapes into something cinematic. It creates the kind of glow that looks like it came from a movie and it was just there, for about 60 minutes, and then it was gone.
Midday light is the opposite. It comes straight down, creates harsh shadows under eyes and noses, and makes even the most beautiful location look flat and overexposed. A photographer can make it work, but they're fighting the light instead of working with it. Sure there are spots under tress or behind a building that block some of that light but it just ends up not being that magical. Not even bringing in off camera lighting truly duplicate what the sun does that last hour its up.
At golden hour, the light is doing half the work for you and it is stunning!
It makes your family look like yourselves
There's something about golden hour that relaxes people. Maybe it's the warmth. Maybe it's the fact that the day is winding down and everyone's done performing. Maybe it's that the light is so beautiful it makes even the most camera-shy person feel a little less self-conscious.
Whatever the reason, the images from golden hour sessions consistently look more like the people in them than images taken in harsh midday light. Eyes are softer. Smiles are easier. Kids who were stiff and reluctant twenty minutes ago are suddenly running and laughing and forgetting to care about the camera.
That's not a coincidence. The light creates a mood, and the mood creates the images.
The locations become something else entirely
Southern Utah is already one of the most photogenic places on earth. The red rock formations, the canyon walls, the wide open desert sky — it's all stunning on an ordinary afternoon.
At golden hour, it becomes otherworldly.
The sandstone turns from terracotta to deep amber to almost glowing pink. Shadows stretch long and dramatic across the desert floor. The sky goes from blue to gold to rose to the kind of gradient that doesn't look real until you're standing in it. Snow Canyon, Cougar Cliffs, the open desert just outside of town — these places are beautiful at any hour, but at golden hour they're something else entirely. Something cinematic. Something worth driving to.
The timing is the whole thing
Golden hour doesn't wait. It starts when the sun gets low and it ends when the sun disappears, and there's no negotiating with it. This is why I schedule sessions to start 60 to 90 minutes before sunset rather than at sunset itself — we need time to get to the location, get everyone settled, let the kids warm up, and be shooting when the light peaks.
If we start at sunset, we've already missed the best of it.
This is also why the start time for golden hour sessions changes throughout the year. In the height of summer, we might not start until 7:30 or 8pm. In the fall, it might be 5:30 or 6. I always tell families the specific time when we book, and I always tell them: this time matters. Arriving late to a golden hour session isn't like arriving late to a studio appointment. We can't make up the time we missed.
What to do with dinner
This is the practical question everyone has and nobody asks out loud, so here's the honest answer: plan for it.
Order takeout for the night of your session. Do a slow cooker meal that's ready when you get home. Let it be a pizza night. Give yourself permission to have one evening where dinner is an afterthought, because you're making something that will hang on your walls for the next decade.
Feed the kids a snack before you come so nobody's hungry and melting down during the session. Bring water. And then let the evening be a little bit of an adventure — because that energy shows up in the photos.
The kids who remember their family photo sessions fondly are almost always the ones who had golden hour sessions. Something about chasing the light in a beautiful place, watching the sky change colors, maybe stopping for ice cream on the way home — it becomes a memory on its own, separate from the photos.
It's worth it
I've never had a family stand in golden hour light, watch the sky turn pink over the red rocks, and wish they'd scheduled a Saturday afternoon session instead.
Not once.
The chaos of rearranging an evening is real. The payoff is better! Come for the light. Stay for the photos. Order the pizza.
Ready to chase the golden hour? Book your session here and I'll send you everything you need to know — including the exact time to show up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is golden hour in photography?
Golden hour is the period roughly one hour before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon. The light travels through more atmosphere at that angle, filtering out harsh tones and leaving a warm, soft glow that’s incredibly flattering for portraits.
What time should I schedule a golden hour family photo session?
Your session should start about an hour before sunset so there’s time to arrive, settle in, and be shooting when the light peaks. The exact time changes throughout the year — in summer it might be 7:30pm, in fall closer to 5:30 or 6pm. Your photographer will give you the specific time when you book.
Is golden hour worth the scheduling hassle for family photos?
Almost every family I’ve photographed at golden hour says it was worth rearranging their evening. The light is flattering, the locations look cinematic, and kids tend to relax and be more themselves as the day winds down. A little planning goes a long way.
What if golden hour doesn’t work for my family’s schedule?
I work with families at all kinds of hours — whatever fits your life. But if you have any flexibility, golden hour is always my recommendation. Even one evening rearranged can result in photos that look completely different from a midday session.
