3 Things to Know About Sunset Photos
/One of the things I am most recognized for is my work with sunsets and evening skies. I get asked a lot by couples if I can create them something spectacular like what they see in my portfolio. Curious about adding sunset photos to your wedding images on your special day?
Watch the 7 minute video below or read on.
I LOVE sunsets! Or really anything that has to do with the night sky. Some photographers love the golden hour. Some love that moment just before the sunset sets that create a flare effect on the horizon. But for me, nothing compares to a sunset; the romantic colors that are cast over the landscape, the thrill of catching it at just the right time, and the way it pushes me to have to be more creative.
Embrace the Unknown
Try as we might we cannot just conjure-up or will a sunset into existence. Sunsets depend on a number of factors like weather, cloud coverage, horizons, etc. Sometimes the clouds will catch the colors in just the right way and all “all the stars align”. Sometimes we get a glowing, gradient of color that stripes across the entire sky and lingers. Sometimes we get that mountain alpine glow. Sometimes, there is not a sunset at all. That’s something we have to anticipate and deal with. What if you don’t have a sunset on your wedding night? Don’t fear! If your photographer is skilled, they will be able to still create something beautiful using whatever existing light is available, strobe lights, reflections, clouds, etc.
2. Every Sunset is Unique
You may be catching on by now that no two sunsets are all that similar, especially in areas of the country like Colorado. unpredictable weather patterns, micro-climates, high deserts, and 14k foot peaks all factor into what type of sunset you will be getting on your wedding night. My best advice is to not get your heart set on one particular weather pattern and sunset, because most likely, you won’t get it if you do. If you take a look at my body of work or the video for this post, you will see that not a single on of my sunset or night time portraits looks very close to the other.
3. Fitting Sunsets into Your Wedding Timeline
Depending on the time year of your wedding, sunsets can be anywhere from 5:00-8:30 pm. Most commonly folks tend to get hitched in the summer and fall wes ones, so usually the sun sets around 7:00-8:00 pm. And you may be guessing that those times are also the same times as dinner, toasts, dancing, etc. Don’t let that deter you. All that happens is that the couple slides out for about 15 minutes during the reception. Your wedding planner and photographer build this into the timeline and make sure that nothing important happens while you are getting your photos done.
