Lighting is EVERYTHING!
Want to know what makes the biggest difference in having your photos be Pintrest-worthy or not. It isn't the location. It isn't the outfits. It isn't even how experienced your photographer is. While all of those things are extremely important (and will have their own tip post soon), the single most important thing to take into consideration when getting the perfect photos is lighting. When doing outdoor sessions, the intensity and brightness of natural light (the sun) can make or break your photos. This is why you hear photographers raving over golden hour. Golden hour is 1-2 hours after sunrise and 1-2 hours before sunset. This is the time of day that the sun's rays are low on the horizon and produce less harsh light. The soft light produced during this time illuminates the subject (you) in the most flattering ways and is easier on your photographer to balance in post-processing (otherwise known as editing). The sun gets higher in the sky and the rays get more intense between golden hours. The harsh light creates unflattering shadows, overpowering highlights, and leaves the subjects looking squinty (which is not most people's best look). This is why photographers will not typically shoot in the middle of the day. While there are some exceptions-such as using shady locations-it is best to use golden hour as the golden rule for when to take your photos to get the very best outcome!
