Stupid question about the golden hour

KrisHunt

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Okay, so everyone always talks about sunrise and sunset being the best times to photograph portraits outdoors. But I don't understand: aside from the quality/color of the light, isn't the low position of the sun going to make your subject squint more? Doesn't direct sunlight cause harsh, unflattering contrast no matter where the sun is located? Or is it assumed that you will always be shooting in the shade?
 
recommendations for shooting in the 'golden hour' are usually for landscape shots though the light can be very flattering for portraits so long as you don't have the subject looking directly into the sun. Dusk and dawn are usually characterised by warm soft light and the low angle can show up texture on the ground.
 
Not that this is the greatest photo, but it is an example of the nice light. Diddle was facing the sun and wasn't squinty. I think you can get the best facing sun pics just as the sun is about to drop behind the horizon. You can sort of see the sun ball in his eyes here.

AMS_0963 by Speckles Snaps, on Flickr
 
People don't squint if the are side or back lit. However, when side or back lit the shadows need to be filled. Either by reflected, strobed, or continuous lighting.

Back lit golden hour portraits are very popular, but many don't use the supplimental lighting needed to illuminate the heavily shadowed faces. To compensate many properly expose the subjects heavily shadowed faces without using supplimental light, but that blows-out the sky losing so much of the wondeful sky color the golden hours provide.

For my purposes the golden hours are 15 minutes before, to 45 minutes after sunrise, and 45 minutes before to 15 minutes after sunset.

I prefer sunrise light over sunset light.
 
Doesn't direct sunlight cause harsh, unflattering contrast no matter where the sun is located?
Where the sun is in the sky matters a lot. The reason people say sunrise and sunset is the best time is the same reason noon is the worst time.

Think about it - Noon, sun directly overhead. Pretty much your entire face is going to be in shadow. Evening - Sun basically pointing right at your face - no shadows.
 
Look for locations where a big, light-colored building acts as a natural fill light source, and then shoot the subjects backlighted by the sun. Many places near the seashore have this combination.
 

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