ARTICLE OVERVIEW

Professional photographers in Johannesburg recommend golden hour (45 minutes before sunset) or morning sessions (7am-10am) for family photoshoots, as these times provide soft, flattering light that enhances skin tones and creates beautiful imagery.

You might be wondering, what’s the ideal light for a family photoshoot? Golden hour is the go-to for most photographers. However, that’s not possible nor ideal for every situation!

The light you choose massively impacts the end result. A mid-day photoshoot will look completely different to a sunset session, and no amount of editing can change that. Natural light shapes the entire mood, tone, and feeling of your images – it’s not just a technical consideration, it’s the foundation of the whole experience.

That being said, all different lights can work in a photoshoot! And my job, as your photographer, is to recommend what’s going to work best within your parameters and limitations (sunset sessions are my fave but can be tricky with young children, for example), and then working creatively and intentionally with the light that’s available.

Let me dejargon the different light types.

BLUE LIGHT

This is that crisp, cool light you get just before sunrise or after sunset; when the sky has that gorgeous blue glow but the sun hasn’t quite appeared (or has just disappeared). Blue light is soft, even, and incredibly flattering. It wraps around your face, minimising harsh shadows and giving skin a luminous quality. Perfect for those romantic, moody shots. The only catch? It’s brief, so we need to work efficiently during this window. This is often tricky with children, so for my family shoots I often aim to wrap up as blue hour hits (after 6pm in summer) or we use briefly at the start of our session (in summer, around 5.30am).

Characteristics:

• Ideal for romantic or moody imagery
• Cool, blue-toned colour temperature
• Soft and diffused
• Even, flattering shadows
• Creates a calm, serene mood
• Brief window of opportunity (20-30 minutes)

GOLDEN LIGHT

This is the photographer’s darling: that warm, honeyed glow that makes everything look like it’s been dipped in liquid gold. The sun sits low on the horizon, creating long, soft shadows and bathing everything in the most flattering warm tones. Skin glows, colours pop, and honestly, you could be wearing a bin bag and still look magical.

Golden hour is brief (about 45 minutes to an hour before sunset), so timing is crucial. Most of my sessions aim to take place in this window, whether dawn or sunset, but for families we sometimes start at 4.30pm (in summer) to miss out on the cranky kids but still get the benefits of the beautiful soft light.

Characteristics:

• Warm, golden colour temperature
• Soft, directional light
• Long, flattering shadows
• Creates a dreamy, romantic atmosphere
• Enhances skin tones beautifully
• Makes colours rich and vibrant
• Brief window (45 minutes to 1 hour before sunset)

MID-DAY LIGHT

Midday light is harsh, direct, and comes straight down from above, creating unflattering shadows under eyes, noses, and chins. It’s the light that makes everyone squint and look a bit knackered. Most photographers (myself included) try to avoid shooting during these hours unless we’re working in open shade, use a flash, or have a specific creative vision. It’s not impossible to work with, but it requires more creativity to make it flattering (like the umbrellas from this fab wedding).

Characteristics:

• Harsh and direct
• Creates strong, unflattering shadows (especially under eyes and nose)
• High contrast between highlights and shadows
• Causes squinting
• Neutral to slightly cool colour temperature
• Best avoided or modified with shade

Overview of other light types

Overcast/cloudy light This is actually a photographer’s secret weapon! The clouds act as a giant softbox, diffusing the sunlight beautifully. It’s incredibly flattering, eliminates harsh shadows, and gives lovely even skin tones. Plus, no squinting! You can shoot at any time of day when it’s overcast.

Dappled/filtered light This is the light you get under trees or in shaded areas where little patches of sunlight peek through. It can be tricky because it creates spotty light on faces, but when used intentionally, it’s gorgeous and whimsical.

Backlight (my fave) When the sun is behind your subject. This creates that dreamy, glowy effect with light wrapping around hair and edges. It’s romantic and ethereal but requires careful exposure to avoid silhouettes.

Window light (for indoor shoots) Soft, directional natural light coming through a window—one of the most flattering light sources available, especially for intimate indoor sessions.

The in-between times

Morning light (7am-10am, roughly)

There’s something magical about scheduling your photoshoot in the morning – the light is fresh, clean, and slightly cooler in tone than afternoon light. The sun sits lower in the sky, creating softer shadows than midday whilst still providing good illumination. Morning light has a gentle quality that photographs beautifully, and bonus: everyone’s usually more energised at this time of day (especially little ones before they get tired and cranky!).

Notes: Many birthday parties are booked 10am – 12pm, which is a tricky window with light getting increasingly harsh and unflattering as the party rolls on.

I almost always book newborn sessions in the morning time, as we photograph indoors, and newborns are generally a bit more relaxed in the mornings.

Characteristics:

• Soft to moderate intensity
• Slightly cool, crisp colour temperature
• Gentle, flattering shadows
• Fresh, clean feel
• Great for family photoshoots with young children
• More forgiving than midday light

Afternoon light (3pm-5pm, roughly)

Afternoon photoshoots start to benefit from softer light as the sun begins its descent, but it’s warmer and often hazier than morning sessions. Depending on the season and weather, it can have a lovely golden quality building up to golden hour, or it can be a bit more neutral. It’s generally more flattering for outdoor photography than midday light but can still be quite bright and create stronger shadows than early morning.

I love an afternoon shoot as the light gets softer and more golden as you get more comfortable in your photoshoot.

Characteristics:

• Moderate to soft intensity (depending on time)
• Warmer colour temperature than morning
• Shadows begin to lengthen and soften
• Can be slightly hazy or diffused
• Transitions into golden hour
• More forgiving than midday for portrait photography

But a photoshoot can work at any time – even 10pm.

The moral of the story? When I suggest a specific time for your photography session, it’s not because I’m being difficult – it’s because I want you to look absolutely stunning.

Trust me on this one! Let me know if you want to book a photoshoot.