4 reasons why you should schedule a sunrise engagement session
I’m one of those people who acts like she’s never seen a sunset every time I see a sunset. And Chicago has some hall of fame sunsets, like, multiple times a week. A Lake Michigan sunset with the Chicago skyline in the background is unmatched; I won’t be taking questions or comments at this time.
“Golden hour” is the period of time after the sun rises and before the sun sets that offers a beautiful golden hue. It’s also the best time of day for taking photos due to the soft natural light it provides. There’s no disputing that sunset golden hour is filled with its own laundry list of perks for photography. The colors and lighting of sunset are stunning and offer an incredible setting for a photo session.
However, today I’m hoping to share some insight around the other golden hour and why it can make for the perfect time of day for your engagement session. If even just one of theses following points resonates with the two of you, a sunrise session is a good choice for you.
you’re an early-riser or the occasional early wake-up call doesn’t sound too bad
Most couples opt for sunset over sunrise for their session timing, mostly due to wanting to avoid the early wake-up call. However, if you two are early risers or are intrigued by the idea of a session with fewer crowds and an early session start time doesn’t deter you, a sunrise session can be a great option.
Photo taken at Bespoke Workshop
The cons of a sunrise session, particularly in a city so east in its timezone like Chicago, is the crazy early time of the sunrise, with the earliest sunrise occurring around 5:15am in June. Factoring in travel time to the session and getting ready time before that, for some people, particularly the girlies, that can translate to a 3am or earlier wake-up time. However, from feedback I have received from countless couples who have opted for sunrise sessions with me, not one has regretted their decision.
there are Minimal to no people around to be an uninvited audience to your session
If you’re like me and the vast majority of the couples I work with, the idea of being in front of the camera makes your skin crawl at least a tiny bit. It’s out of our comfort zone. If the idea of being in front of the camera coupled with the thought of having an audience of strangers potentially watching you and your partner in front of the camera gives you a fresh rush of anxiety, then a sunrise session may be perfect for you.
The primary drawback to sunset sessions in the summer is that there can be crowds or a lot of passersby at your location of choice. If you don’t love the idea of having potentially dozens of strangers in your vicinity during the photos, I would recommend considering a sunrise session. This makes the session feel like it’s really just the two of you hanging out at your favorite spot, plus a friendly third wheel with a camera, of course. You can be as loud, silly and free to be yourselves as you please.
For those who know a sunrise session is not for them, do not fear these aforementioned strangers in eyesight of your session: 1) We are often not in the same spot for long, 2) they’re often en route from point A to point B themselves, and 3) I’ve never heard a negative or rude word uttered from a stranger to anyone in front of my camera. If anything, they can make for a polite, supportive hype team.
A quick aside: When it comes to other people appearing in the background of your photos, no need to worry about this aesthetically; I like to take these photos into Photoshop to remove as many distractions as I can (i.e. people, trash, wires, and anything that distracts from the overall aesthetic of the photo).
You have an western-facing location in mind for the session
To capitalize on the beautiful golden hour of sunrise, choose a location where you can actually see the sun rising over the horizon, whether your horizon is an ocean or a lake or a taller structure like mountains or a cityscape. This will provide your morning and your photos with a greater variance of colors, lighting and a vibrant, dramatic glow.
This is especially true if you live near a body of water where the sun rises over the eastern edge of the water.
you want to maximize the time spent taking photos and spend less time traveling between locations
Depending on when sunrise is on the day of your session, we’ll likely be some of the only people on the roads at that time. This means less time stuck in traffic getting to the session, as well as less time spent driving between locations during the session, which extends the amount of time we’ll have at each location you so intentionally selected. In the peak of summer, you should even be able to return home after the session before rush hour begins.
A few tips to make the early morning wake-up call easier - specifically for those going for those 5am summer sunrise sessions in Chicago:
Depuff. Throw some spoons in the freezer the night before to rest on your face while you’re getting ready to get rid of any early-morning puff before the session.
Caffeine, caffeine, caffeine. Depending on the time of the year, coffee shops may not yet be open when you first wake up. Prep the night before by setting out your favorite canned or bottled caffeinated beverage of choice for you to look forward to while you’re getting ready. Or if there are local spots open once you’re up, have the person who will need the least amount of time to get ready go and get the two of you your favorite beverages.
Pack the night before. Have your outfits picked out and set them out with any props you’ll bring the night before. While you’ll most likely already have your outfits picked out prior to the night before, setting them out and organized is one less thing for your early morning brain to worry about.
Move your body. Whether it’s some simple stretching, a quick 10-minute burst of cardio or blaring your favorite shared artist and shaking your booty for a few minutes, this will help wake your mind and body up, shake off any nerves and get yourself ready for the fun, movement-filled session.
Determine how you’ll arrive to the session ahead of time. Prior to the morning of your session, plan out how you’ll get there. Ridesharing can be a great option of getting to and from sessions. However, be sure to allow some buffer time in your morning timeline for requesting and waiting for your ride, as you don’t want to add unnecessary stress or potentially miss the actual rising of the sun due to a delayed driver or address mixup. Similarly, if you’ll be driving, factor in time for finding parking and walking to the meeting spot. Some parking lots and garages do not open until later in the morning, so check on this ahead of time so you aren’t left scrambling to find parking during that initial glow of sunrise.
other ways to make your sunrise session even more personalized & special:
Arrive early. If you can swing it, plan to arrive at the meeting spot 15 minutes before the sun rises. This will give you 5-10 minutes of uninterrupted time alone together to enjoy the beautiful, quiet moment of the sun rising in one of your favorite spots before the session begins.
Book a three-hour date-night -day style session. With this longer session, we can start in the earliest moments of sunrise at a public space with a beautiful view of the sun rising above the horizon, and as the world begins to wake up, we can end at your favorite coffee shop or in the comfort of your own home and have the simple & special everyday moments you love the most together documented in your final gallery.
Schedule your session for a Friday. If you work a more traditional schedule and you aren’t able to take the day off from work or other obligations, having your sunrise session on a Friday will give you the start of the weekend to look forward to and hopefully ample time to sleep in the next day.
Take the day off work together. This will allow you a ton of flexibility after your session, whether that’s crawling promptly back into bed for a morning nap or spending the day relaxing, running errands & tackling chores together, or creating a itinerary of fun-filled activities for yourselves.
Sold? Reach out via my contact form (linked below) to start planning your engagement session. Upon booking, I will share a 10-page engagement session guide that includes tons of details and suggestions for choosing a location, outfits, props and so much more. I also share a questionnaire to learn more about the two of you and your relationship so I can tailor the session uniquely and most comfortably to you & your relationship, your preferences and your vision.
