When can the great outdoors look like great outdoors?
We can shoot and deliver interior photos to look naturally bright, but exteriors can be varied. If the home owner says there's a giant oak in the front that routinely engulfs the house in its shade at 2pm, maybe you'll want the shoot when the light is softer. Blizzard happening Monday? Get that photographer in for the Tuesday (or until whenever the storm is over first. Please, we want to stay alive).
You Are My Sunshine
You feel good, we feel good, everyone feels good and we should all go out and buy some fresh green juice. Bright, juicy light is making colors pop, the pool sparkling and that lawn on fleek (it's still a word, right?). If there is a large obstruction in the front of the house (aka the exterior money shot) but you can only do mid-day, go for noon when the sun is directly overhead and shadows go straight down.
I Spy Something...Not Blue
You slide the curtains open with a mug of coffee in hand, and sigh as you see the sky is the color of Eeyore's disposition. It's too darn early to deal with this news. Should you throw your hands in the air and curse the weather gods at such a tragedy? Nope, photographers even like this. The lighting is soft and even, we have the technology to add blue skies to exteriors. For design clients, fog or mist can create a certain atmosphere that may fit the feel of your project (Think modern new-build Japanese wood home within a forest). So don't fret, finish that cuppa and remember to take your vitamins.
Good Morning, Good Afternoon
Similar to overcast, you'll get a softer quality of light during the early morning and late afternoons, but with the addition of some dramatic direction of light coming up or down the horizon. Go for the very first or last appointment slot of the day and be mindful of where the sun may be located relative to the property's direction.
Winter Wonderland
Freshly fallen snow looks magical, so try to get us over while it's still pillowy and white. When it melts, we're looking at lumpy lawns with brown ground showing. Catch it towards the dusk for a Kinkade original feel.
Golden Hour / Blue Hour / All Within One Hour
Supper Time? For everyone else yes, but for a photographer it's Twilight Time and that means quickly wolfing down a burger in the car before getting back out and making sure every light in the house is on, occupants away from windows, and waiting for that very brief time when everything becomes engulfed in a fiery glow before calming down for the night.
Its Going To Be a Dark and Stormy Day
Now it's time to curse the weather gods. If the forecast predicts your shoot day beyond a drizzle or we're due for a winter blizzard, keep in mind that although photographers have skills to pop in those blue skies, we are not wizards (darn!) that can edit out a downpour or snow drop by drop. It may be in your best interest to reschedule. Just be aware of the photographer's rescheduling terms and give enough time to avoid cancellation fees.
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