Why the Time of Day Matters for Perfect Wedding Photos in Guernsey
When you're planning a wedding or a couple shoot in Guernsey, you'll often hear photographers talk about “golden hour” or suggest specific times of day to take your photos. It’s not just about being fussy—it’s about light. Lighting is the building blocks of your image, without it you'd have no photo at all, good or bad quality lighting can completely change the look and feel of your photos from a work of art to a horror movie look.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how light changes naturally throughout the day, what it means for your pictures, and why it’s worth planning your shoot around it, especially with Guernsey’s stunning coastal locations and unpredictable weather.
Whether you're a bride planning your big day, a couple booking a shoot, or just curious about photography in Guernsey, this one's for you.
1. The Types of Natural Light And Why They Matter
Early Morning (Sunrise Lighting)
Early Morning (Sunrise Shoots)
Yes, sunrise light is beautiful—soft, cool-toned, and calm. But let’s be honest: most people don’t want to be up at 5am, putting makeup on in the dark just to stand on a clifftop before coffee. Even with the perfect light, it's hard to feel your best when you're tired, groggy, and still warming up to the idea of being in front of a camera.
Great photos come from good energy, connection with your photographer and each other, and comfort in yourself. That takes a bit of time to build up to and If you’re not a natural early riser, (i know i'm not) don’t feel pressured into a sunrise shoot just because the light might be nice. There are plenty of better times that balance beauty and comfort.
Midday Sun and Shade Examples
Midday Sun (High Noon)
This is when the sun is directly overhead, and while it might be perfect for sunbathing (if that's even a good idea?), it’s not ideal for photos. The light is very harsh and unforgiving, creating strong shadows under the eyes and nose, often called "raccoon eyes" in photography. It also washes out detail and can make people squint, especially in open areas.
From a technical side, to deal with how bright it is, we often need to increase the aperture (raise the f-stop of the camera), which simply means for you losing that soft, blurry background (known as shallow depth of field) that gives images their magical cinematic look. Shade can help, but even shaded light at midday tends to be very flat. There's no direction to the light, which means faces and features lose dimensionality and don't feel as 3d and full of life.
We can work around it with clever planning—like using tree cover, architecture, or positioning the subjects just right—but it takes intention and time. These photos can still look lovely, but they require a different approach than the dreamy glow people often associate with wedding portraits.
Guernsey Golden Hour Wedding Photo
Golden Hour (Late Afternoon to Sunset)
This is the favourite for photographers, and for very good reason. The sun is lower in the sky, casting long, soft shadows and wrapping everything in a warm, flattering glow. Think soft skin tones, glowing highlights, and rich colours that bring out the best in both the Guernsey landscape and yourselves.
Golden hour timing changes throughout the year (sunset in June is obviously very different to October), so if you're planning a wedding or a couple shoot, it’s worth checking a local sunset calculator (I’ve embedded my own below to make it easy!).
I usually recommend starting your shoot 90 minutes before sunset. That gives us:
30 minutes to warm up and settle into the shoot with good light,
A full golden hour to get the best images when everyone’s relaxed and enjoying it,
And a final 15–20 minutes of blue hour as the sun drops, for moodier, cinematic images to wrap things up.
This natural transition gives you really nice variety of looks in your gallery and ensures we’re making the most of the changing light from start to finish.
Guernsey Blue Hour
Blue Hour (After Sunset)
Once the sun has dipped, the sky turns a beautiful soft blue and the light becomes cooler and more even. This is a brilliant time for intimate, moody portraits or shots with a touch of drama—especially if you're near the sea, cliffs, or open skies here in Guernsey.
You lose the warmth of golden hour, but you gain a lovely atmosphere that’s perfect for artistic shots.
Washed out LED lighting
Full-spectrum Cinema Lighting
Night-Time & Artificial Lighting
As the sun sets, we move into artificial light territory. This can be wonderful—but it’s also where things can go wrong quickly without the right setup.
Modern LED lights, like fairy lights and venue uplighting, don’t emit a full colour spectrum. This can make skin tones look dull or off—sometimes slightly green or magenta and zombie like, (yikes!) depending on the light source. On-camera flash is often used to balance this out, and when used right under controlled studio settings, it can look editorial and dramatic (very Vogue). BUT it can also highlight shiny skin or create harsh reflections that aren’t always flattering (especially after a bit of dancing and sweating!).
For evening receptions, I personally opt for using hight end cinema-quality full-spectrum lights positioned off-camera. These give you that same natural glow as golden hour, adding back the richness and life to your skin while keeping the natural atmosphere of the space. When paired with fairy lights or a DJ setup, this helps preserve the party mood without sacrificing photo quality.
If your reception lighting includes bold colours like red or blue, it helps to ask your DJ or lighting tech to blend colours rather than wash everything in one hue. 100% red or blue lighting can wreak havoc on camera sensors and completely destroy skin tones. A mix of tones, plus some subtle cinema lighting, keeps everything looking natural without losing the fun.
Guernsey Golden Hour Wedding Photo
2. Why Light Timing Is Worth Planning
Light shapes the story of your wedding photos. The same venue can look completely different at 2pm vs 7pm. By understanding how the sun behaves—and trusting your photographer’s recommendations—you can plan your schedule in a way that gets the most from your location, outfits, and vibe.
If you're booking a Guernsey wedding or couple shoot, check the sunset time for your date and work backwards to plan your ideal timing. I've included my own Guernsey sunlight calculator below to help you get started.
Guernsey Golden Hour Lighting
3. Final Thoughts
Lighting is one of the most powerful tools in a photographer’s kit—and the easiest to overlook when planning a busy wedding day. But by giving it a little thought, you’ll see a huge difference in how your images look and feel.
Still unsure? I’m always happy to chat about timings and help plan your session so that we hit the light just right.
Plan Your Perfect Shoot: Use the Sunlight Calculator Below
Guernsey Golden Hour Calculator
Let’s Make It Easy
If you’re planning a wedding or photo shoot in Guernsey and want your images to look their absolute best, let’s chat. I’ll help guide you through the best lighting options for your day—and make sure you get a gallery full of warmth, personality, and genuine connection.
