Photographers should be able to shoot in a variety of conditions. However, a photoshoot's preparation is highly advisable, considering there are times in the day when the image becomes highly rich in saturated colours. These times are referred to as golden hours, the daytime period shortly after sunrise or before sunset. The daylight during the golden hour is redder and softer.

Model Lucy Lofting and I created incredible sunset golden hour images that looked amazing. It was my first golden hour photoshoot, and, as usual, I faced multiple challenges. However, the main obstacle was the dynamic range.

• When you expose the subject correctly, you risk losing all the highlight details, resulting in a burned image. I love this effect because it creates a high contrast between the subject and the background, adding significant separation and depth to the image.

• When you properly expose for the stunningly saturated sky, your subject will appear as a silhouette.

You can approach this in multiple ways to tackle these obstacles.

• The first solution is to shoot the subject underexposed. This method allows for easier retrieval of background details using Adobe Camera Raw, as I did during this shoot with this image.






• The second approach involves using a speedlight or strobe. You can achieve fantastic results by properly exposing the sky and then lighting your subject with a Speedlight. A more effective method is a high sync speed or a neutral density filter, which I will explain in a future article.

Enjoy the Golden Hour

Have you noticed anything in the photos? I used the sun as a hair and rim light in all the images I shot. It gives Lucy's hair a striking color and makes it look magical.

The Gear I Used

I hope you learned a lot from this blog. If you are interested in a one-on-one training session, drop me a direct message on my Instagram account.