The Session That Helped Me See the Light

Why autumn is ideal for photographing families with early bedtimes.

Kids need routine. Parents crave it.

It’s foundational to a high-functioning family.

That’s why many moms express concern when I advise that their family art session be held during times they’d normally hold sacred for their late-day rituals.

But, for shooting outdoors, there’s no better time than evenings from late August through November. That’s when the waning light of day is perfectly suited for capturing images that exude an ethereal warmth and coziness.

Evening is my prime time to shoot!

It may seem counterintuitive, but I can get so much more in a handful of minutes when the light is right than I can with an entire hour shooting in the brightness of daylight.

I’m proud of the distinctive way that I use light, but I know I have it in me to do better.

I thought of this session recently as I put together a plan to improve my craft. I do this each year. Looking for gaps in my skill set and vision, I decide how I’m going to close those gaps. On my hit list this year is my use of light.

This story will shed some light…

It’s amazing that we even pulled this session off.

Threatening clouds and wind made me almost cancel this shoot hours before the session. Construction on highway 401 delayed my clients by forty minutes.

Now, it’s one of my favourite family art collections. And all the images were made in the final twenty minutes of daylight. The images you’re seeing on this page were the result.

I can get so much more in a handful of minutes when the light is right than I can with an entire hour shooting in the brightness of daylight.

This is why evening sessions are worth it.

This experience made me realize that waiting for the very best light is worth the potential sacrifice of delayed bedtimes for the little ones involved, late dinners for my family or driving home in the dark.

When my schedule opens, I’ll be booking late summer and fall family sessions when the light is perfect. Once in a lifetime memories deserve to be created with the most beautiful paint brush: our setting sun.

If you’re concerned about later bedtime delays, book your free family art plan consultation so we can discuss a plan that’s right for your family. Shorter days mean our time together will be earlier in the evening.