UCLA’s campus looks beautiful in all kinds of light, but different times of day produce different results. Here is a lighting guide that shows what various conditions look like. Regardless of when during the day we shoot, I will always take you to the spots I think look best at that time.
(Note: these are all photos taken on sunny days. Please scroll to the bottom of this post to see examples of photos taken when gloomy and overcast. I personally prefer shooting when it is sunny — if it happens to be overcast, we can reschedule to a different day if you’d prefer.)
Sunrise Golden Hour
This is 1-2 hours after sunrise. (If the sun rises at 5:45am, this is what 6:30-8am looks like.)
Morning
This is 2-4 hours after sunrise. (If the sun rises at 5:45am, this is what 8-10am looks like.)
Midday
This is the middle of the day, when the sun is directly overhead. (This is what 10am-2pm looks like.)
Early Afternoon
This is 4-6 hours before sunset. (If the sun sets at 8pm, this is what 2-4pm looks like.)
Late Afternoon
This is 3-4 hours before sunset. (If the sun sets at 8pm, this is what 4-5pm looks like.)
Early Evening
This is 2-3 hours before sunset. (If the sun sets at 8pm, this is what 5-6pm looks like.)
Late Evening
This is 1-2 hours before sunset. (If the sun sets at 8pm, this is what 6-7pm looks like.)
Sunset Golden Hour
This is one hour before official sunset. (If the sun sets at 8pm, this is what 7-7:45pm looks like.)
Overcast Gloomy Days
Due to the constant cloud cover, the light is very consistent on an overcast day. If the weather forecast is cloudy, we can absolutely reschedule to a different day. (I prefer shooting during sunny days, but everyone has their preference.) June tends to be very gloomy, especially in the early morning and late evenings, and the mist burns off midday.
