Finding the right light is a matter of perspective. Often times photographers will search for that soft glow but will choose to go out an shoot at the least opportune times, like midday. From a portrait photographer’s standpoint, the harsh light and drastic shadows are usually not the best for the most flattering images. London based professional photographer and filmmaker, Sean Tucker, shares his secret to choosing the time of day for the best light.
Capturing that perfect images in natural light is not a matter of post-process wizardry, it largely comes down to the time of the day where the Sun is most beneficial to your artistic vision.
Tucker uses an app called PhotoPills to help him determine where the Sun will be at any given time; coming back to his favorite spot in Munich during magic hour. Magic hour occurs just after sunrise, or the couple hours before sunset and is dependant on where you are located. Mobile applications like PhotoPills, Magic Hour, Golden Hour, Sun Scout, and The Photographer’s Ephemeris are powerful, showing you where the light from the Sun will fall based on your latitude.
When venturing out you may not have the luxury of coming back to a spot later in the day. If you have a particular location you want to photograph, planning on shooting at magic hour will give your subjects that soft warm glow that is highly sought after.
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