Once the date of your photoshoot is booked, the next thing to think about is the actual timing of the shoot. This is absolutely not true - need some proof? I tend to recommend different timings for different times of the year.
Why choose mid-afternoon over a morning shoot in the winter? Firstly there can be a pretty significant variance in temperature between early morning and afternoon, that variance can mean the difference between you having to be wrapped up in that winter coat throughout the entire shoot, in comparison to a more comfortable experience, one where you can lose the coat for a few images to show off your stylish outfit.
Sunrise in the winter months can be at 9 am, the tourists are already up and about, plus the Parisians are all heading out to work, meaning the streets are busy. What about the light you may ask? Well, the sun in the winter months is both softer and lower in the sky, or, more often than not there are clouds making for diffused, flattering light at any time of day. Like to see a couple of examples of mid-afternoon winter light?
With photoshoots throughout the summer, I advise two main starting times, working forward from sunrise or backward from sunset. Summertime in Paris can make for harsh, bright midday sun. Mornings in Paris can make for the most incredible light, secondly, Paris is calm, and the effort of getting out of bed whilst the rest of the city is sleeping is rewarded by watching the sun come up over a quiet, almost deserted city.
Tourists begin coming out in numbers from about 9 am meaning we can get photos in popular areas such as Trocadero the most popular Eiffel Tower viewpoint and the Louvre, more or less free of people. Well, sunrise in Paris can be early, like am early! Secondly, even in the middle of summer, the temperature can be a little fresh in the morning, meaning you may have to bring a warm coat to stay cosy in between shots. Once you realise that this is all very easy, as well as a lot of fun then the photos get better and better.
