Ruby Beach Engagement Sessions: Comparing Session Times
Whether you’re planning a Ruby Beach engagement, elopement, or family session, the time you start will determine the final result of your photos. I recently shot three different engagement sessions at Ruby Beach to demonstrate the difference that time and weather make. While I think all are gorgeous, it’s important to understand the difference so you get the results you want.
In this article, I’ll explain the conditions of each shoot and how that affected the outcome of the final image. You can also find behind-the-scenes footage on my TikTok and Instagram (@essenceofus.photo for both). Read on to learn more about how we help you choose the best time for your photo session.
Session Details
Each of these were a Ruby Beach Engagement Session scheduled for 1 hour back-to-back on the same day. They were all shot at the same spots along the beach with some variations here and there to keep each gallery unique.
I start watching the forecast about 1 to 2 weeks prior to a session and monitor for changes. We started with a high chance of rain, but as the date grew closer, it thankfully reduced and we ended up with great weather if a bit windy for part of it.
Session 1: Early Afternoon
The first couple I photographed arrived at 2:30pm. The sun had just started to peek out from behind the clouds. Contrary to popular belief, bright sun isn’t always ideal for portrait photography. It can create harsh shadows and lines, which are difficult to balance out. One of the bonuses of shooting earlier in the afternoon like this is that you get brighter photos. Some couples/photographers even intentionally shoot with clear skies because they like the dramatic look of the bright light. This is also great if you don’t favor the moody lighting during golden hour.
One of the ways I like to combat the harsh sun is either facing my couples away from the sun. This is called back lighting and it prevents the sun from shining directly on my couples’ faces. Another technique I use is shooting in shade. Luckily, Ruby Beach has that beautiful rock formation in the center of the beach, which still allows the water to be in the background. It also provided some protection from the crazy wind. We ended up with beautiful photos that are well-balanced and capture just how much these two clearly love each other!
They also had such great attitudes and were a blast to work with through the whole shoot even though it was quite cold, especially considering they were wearing these beautiful dresses!
Session 2: Mid Afternoon
This couples arrived at 3:30pm. The clouds had come back, which you might think would be a bad thing. However, cloud cover like this provides what we called ‘diffused light.’ It creates even lighting which prevents those harsh shadows we discussed earlier. Toward the end of the session, two great things happened. First, the sun started to go down, which made the clouds even more dramatic. Second, the tide started to go out and gave us the shine you see in the sand on the middle, bottom photo. It looked very dramatic and beautiful!
Looking back at these photos, it’s crazy to me that these two were feeling unsure of themselves. Not only did they take the cold weather in stride, but they look amazing and clearly have so much love for each other!
Session 3: Late Afternoon/Sunset
This last couple arrived at 4:30pm, right at the start of golden hour and stayed until just before sunset. It’s crazy to see how much different the photos look from the start of the session to the end. Golden hour is typically prime-time for outdoor portraits. The light is naturally softer because the sun is lower in the sky and it also gives off that beautiful golden light.
It’s why it’s a favorite time of day to shoot for many photographers, myself included. As the sun went down we got some beautiful silhouettes. These two were brave enough to venture out into the shallow water as the tide was going out. To me, it looks like they’re standing on the surface of the water. GORGEOUS! The final bonus is that there are still a few clouds lingering to give the sky some texture and visual interest.
However, golden hour and sunset photos come with their detriments as well. For one, it’s obviously darker during this time of day. The lighting is moodier and the photos naturally turn out much warmer. This isn’t the style for everyone.
Choose Your Time With Intention
I hope these examples show you the importance of timing and weather when it comes to your photo session. It can be difficult to factor in everything that effects your photos, so if you have questions about your session, we’re here to help! We’ll discuss what you’re looking for and the best time/weather to achieve your vision.
Get started by booking your perfect session and we’ll get to planning!