Times and weather are always the depending factors for sessions. And the time of the day/sun location and the weather can make or break a session.

I have photographed in all types of weather (rain, snow, hurricane, fog, etc.). If the rain percentage is higher than 60%, I always make sure to communicate with my clients and decide together if it is worth it or not to continue with the session.

(Most of the time we reschedule. ) I love to use weather.com for rain percentage by the hour and this site for the sunset hour.

A few times I have had clients “lean” into the rain. And that requires some extra planning. Depending on the type of rain, I might use umbrellas or even a flash to light up the rain.

*I leave two clear umbrellas in my car just in case unexpected rain happens during a session (it has happened multiple times to me!).

Weather can change at any moment. Just be prepared (umbrellas in your car, extra hair ties for clients for windy weather, etc.). And always, always communicate with your client.

The sun’s location is another deciding factor for sessions. I always try to schedule a session around the “golden” hour. The golden hours are one hour after sunrise and one hour before the sunset.

The sun is less harsh and easier to manage during those hours. Use a site like this one: sunset hour.

This site will tell you the days and times (even into the future) of when the sun is supposed to set.

I don’t always have the ability to schedule around golden hour due to my client’s schedules (little kids are not always up that late into the evening!). And then your training and creativity as a photographer helps guide your scheduling.

Maybe it’s a late afternoon session, but you choose a location with a lot of trees to block and control the sunlight.

Maybe you choose a morning session or an indoors location. Always help guide your clients to the best sunset times or locations that will have beautiful light!

I also use an online scheduler for clients to help them schedule and book a session. This allows me to import the times I am only available for sessions (aka the best times for sessions!).

This helps start the conversations about times and locations based on the sunset time.

Always consider the time of day and the weather when scheduling sessions. You want to create beautiful images for your clients!