Why Sunset is the Best Time for Family Photos…

(And why I’ll never stop chasing that golden glow)

Here’s a little secret: the best time to get family photos taken? It’s whenever you can make it happen.

Between the school drop-offs, soccer practice, dance recitals, toddler meltdowns, and snack time (which is all the time, let’s be real), carving out space for family photos is no small feat. So first off: if you’re thinking about it? You’re already doing something magical. You’re showing up for your family in a way that says, “We are worth remembering like this.”

But since we’re talking ideal timing? Oh friend, let me tell you about my love affair with sunset.

That Glow? It's Real.

Photographers call it golden hour, but let’s be honest: it’s the part of the day that feels dipped in honey and wrapped in poetry.

Golden hour happens about two hours before the sun sets, when the light gets lower in the sky and everything turns soft and warm. Harsh shadows? Gone. Skin tones? Creamy and dreamy. Hair? Lit up like strands of gold.

It’s flattering. It’s artistic. And it brings a kind of magic that midday just can’t touch. It’s like the earth is whispering: “Slow down. Soak it in. This is what matters.”

So if you’re booking an outdoor session, this is the time to do it. Whether we’re dancing barefoot in a field, twirling on the shoreline, or letting the kids be wild and wonderful at a hidden North County park—you want that glow.

But What About In-Home Sessions?

I adore in-home sessions for all the obvious reasons: the comfort, the storytelling, the way your baby curls up in their favorite reading nook, or how your kitchen becomes the backdrop of your family’s life.

And just like outdoor sessions, in-home shoots thrive when the sun is lower in the sky. That means early morning or late afternoon light, when it filters through windows in that soft, delicious way. But here in San Diego, marine layer is a regular party crasher. So unless you want a moody, fog-kissed look (which I also happen to love), I typically recommend evenings for in-home sessions too. Let’s aim for that golden slant of light that spills across your floors and hugs your family like a warm blanket.

Let’s Talk Legacy

Whether you’re new here or you’ve been dreaming about this for years, I offer a couple of ways to create something lasting:

Analog Legacy Sessions – This is where your story becomes art. We spend a morning or afternoon at your home. I shoot on film—yes, real film—because it forces me (and you) to slow down and be present. Present making cookies, reading books, or just being together with the most loved humans in your life. A session that will lend a result as grand as its name.

Grain + Glow Sessions – Taken at golden hour, this family photo session will give you timeless, glowing family images with that bit of nostalgic magic.

Want to take it even further? Add a Magic Roll—a roll of film I “soup” in a custom mix that creates psychedelic colors, light leaks, and otherworldly beauty. It’s wild. It’s unpredictable. It’s pure art. If your curious, you can get more info here.

Let’s Make It Happen

Here’s your nudge: book the session.

Don’t wait for the perfect time. Don’t wait for the kids to be older or your hair to grow out or for life to slow down (spoiler: it won’t). Come as you are. That’s always enough.

Your family, right now, is art.

Let me show you. Contact me to get on the calendar.

Hi, I’m Alison Hatch.

I’m a San Diego-based photographer, boy mom, lover of warm light, and a deep believer in seeing the sacred in the everyday. I specialize in soulful, slow, intentional photography—always on film—that captures the art of your real life. I create space for you to breathe, let go, and feel beautiful exactly as you are. My sessions are filled with emotion, laughter, sometimes tears (the good kind), and a lot of “I can’t believe this is my life” moments.

If you’re craving something tender, powerful, and a little bit magical—I’m your girl.