What I learned from my first shooting experience.
Golden hour photography is my favorite. Seeing the sun set and turn the sky into a kaleidoscope of colors is what inspired me to do my first shoot on the beaches of Jacksonville. I had the perfect vision in my head and on my Pinterest. I wanted my first shoot to be a family session in Jacksonville. When my friend asked what her girls should wear, I instructed her to dress them in the colors of the sand and sky, at sunset. I had a vision in my mind and I was going to execute. Everything was going to look perfect. Or so I thought.
What went really well
The light on this evening was everything I could have asked for; warm, golden, absolutely perfect. I also found it much easier to compose interesting shots than I expected. The beach water was serene and the light raked across the wet sand creating depth in almost every photo. My confidence grew quickly once I started seeing results on the back of the camera.
What I didn't expect
The speed of the light when the sun sets. I knew golden hour was short, but being a brand new photographer, I genuinely didn't realize just how fast the light would disappear. In the span of about 15 minutes, the light went from gorgeous and warm to dark and shadowy. I found myself having to mess with my camera settings a bit to make up for the lost light. Since I am still learning my Sony A7rIII, it was a new challenge.
What I loved the most
Working with the girls! I didn't expect to be able to keep their attention so easily. I was nervous that I'd forget all of the poses I had in mind. However, once I started, it rolled out so easily. It probably also helped that these sisters love each other and got along so well.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely. I've booked multiple beach sessions since. Golden hour beach photography is one that is going to take a while to master. We were blessed with a slight breeze, no bugs, perfect weather temperatures. I know that is not always going to be the case. Sure, the photos weren't completely perfect, but so many of them turned out so well that I was editing well past my bedtime.
