Tiffany Olsen Photography

FARGO-MOORHEAD METRO AREA PHOTOGRAPHER

If you’ve never thought about booking a sunrise session in the summer, I’m here to not only make you think about it, but actually see why there are fewer decisions you’ll make the rest of this summer that are better than booking one today. Plus, any of my sessions can be scheduled as a sunrise session. Here are six reasons why you should book a sunrise session before the summer is over.

1. | LIGHTING IS PERFECT | 

A huge part of photography is lighting. The direction of the sun in relation to the subject(s) and the position of sun in the sky have the potential to make or break a photo, or take it from so-so to exceptional. All of my sessions, unless it absolutely can’t be helped, take place in the early morning or evening because that is when the sun is low. It prevents the dreaded shadows and squinting that comes with the harsh sunlight throughout the day. It makes for the perfect, soft, filtered light that this photographer’s dreams are made of. 

2. | TEMPS ARE IDEAL | 

Summer provides an opportunity that no other seasons offer in sunrise sessions. The sun is up early, and with it, the morning temperatures are cooler. This allows you to avoid the oppressive heat you’re likely to deal with for a session at any other time of the day, without it being downright chilly like a morning session is any other season of the year. 

3. | KIDS USUALLY DO BETTER IN THE MORNING | 

If you have early risers like my Lola, this is truly a no-brainer. Parents often stress about how their kids will behave or cooperate for a session. Keeping kiddos up later for an evening session (the other ideal time when it comes to sun) can backfire, because by the end of the day they’re tired and their cooperation is truly a wild card. Anyone who has come within ten miles of any toddler knows what transpires when they’ve hit their max for the day, and there’s really no coming back from it once a kid has become overly tired. Morning sessions offer the same low sun that creates dreamy, soft photos, and most little ones are usually happier in the morning, making it ideal for families with younger children to avoid those dreaded meltdowns. 

4. | CONVENIENCE/SUPERIORITY/PRODUCTIVITY/REWARD | 

You already have to get ready for the day anyway, so why not just get up A LITTLE earlier for just ONE DAY, rather than come home and fuss with it all again for an evening session? This way you kill two birds with one stone. If you’re not afforded the luxury of a flexible work schedule that allows for you to maybe come into work a bit late to do a session during the week, you’re in luck, because weekends have sunrises too! While I can attest firsthand to the beauty of sleeping in on a weekend, there is a great deal of satisfaction and superiority that can come from being up on a weekend and already accomplishing so much. It could kick start a day or whole weekend of productivity you didn’t know you had in you, or if you decide you deserve a reward for your efforts, you can just go back to bed or be lazy the rest of the day because, let’s be honest, you’ve already done enough. Any way you slice it, booking a summer sunrise session just makes sense. 

5. | CROWDS ARE SMALLER, IF AT ALL |

While some summer evenings I’ve shown up to a location for a shoot and there are literally CROWDS of other families and their photographers all taking turns for the same piece of prime photography real estate, morning sessions, because they are not for the faint of heart- but YOU are NOT faint of heart, my friend- are often much less crowded and far more quiet. This is ideal for anyone who feels self-conscious taking photos in front of people, which is most people, because who wants gawkers and squatters all up in their faces while they’re supposed to look natural? No one, that’s who. 

6. | IT’S MAGICAL | 

In all seriousness, as I’ve already mentioned, sunrise sessions obviously offer the ideal lighting scenario for photos, but it should be noted that if you’ve never been up to really witness and be a part of the sunrise when the rest of the world is still sleeping or too busy to notice as they commute to work, it’s a bucket list must. There is truly something so amazingly calming and energizing at the same time about the stillness of a sunrise on a summer morning that makes it 100 percent worth experiencing at least once. 

If I’ve done my job and convinced you, and you’re looking to book a sunrise session in this last part of summer, contact me so we can get you on my calendar. If you know someone who would be interested in a sunrise session, share this article with them so we can get in touch!