The short answer, yes!
How lucky are we to live in a place with 200+ days of sunshine!? While we love the sun it can be very harsh certain times of the day and not flattering for a photo session. I always try to put my clients in the best possible light and that begins with scheduling your session at the right time of day.
![Anna Maria Island](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/525179251/Rutledge-33-215f087b.jpg)
Sunrise Golden Hour
Golden hour is that time of day where the sun is at it's lowest before setting or just beginning to rise. It gives off a beautiful golden glow. This is the most ideal time for photos as the light is flatting in many directions (front, side, backlight). It happens twice a day: within an hour of sunrise and about two hours before sunset. Not all families are up for the challenge of getting up before the sunrise but boy is it worth it if you do!
![Lithia Florida](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/235179251/Parker-26-9fca6aac.jpg)
Evening Golden Hour
Evening is when most families choose to have their session. We have a bigger golden hour window and the timing is more ideal with kiddos. Depending on the time of year this can mean a session during the dinner hour or even later and sometimes past bedtime for those with littles. I always recommend altering your scheduled slightly for the day with a later nap and even an early dinner or hefty snack before your session.
Can we schedule our session outside of golden hour?
Of course but I will always do my best to convince you otherwise :) If you want your photos to look similar to what you see me share on a regular basis then you'll want the golden hour look. One day off schedule is worth it for light that makes everyone look great! We can also use the sun to get that warm, glowy, cozy feeling.
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