Did you know that light has colour?  And not all types of light are the same color?

It's true.  You have probably noticed when you purchase light bulbs they come in various shades of bright sort of blue white to warm amber white.  Personally, I like warm light.  Sometimes a look calls for a cool light tone but for most of my warm warm is where it is at!

The light from a studio flash is daytime balanced.  This means, with the simplest explanation, that it is more of less the same colour as the light you get outside on a bright afternoon. It's neutral.  Shadows outdoors at this time are a short of blue, not ideal which is why they get warmed up in post production.  Same with an overcast day.  It's all usable! It just need a little warming.

When planning a session I like to plan for the time of day the light is the warmest and also the softest. This is why I try to book most sessions outdoors during that last part of the day.  The last couple of hours before the sun goes down and turn to blue.  The sun is softer and the light is warm.   And when you pair it with a long lens you get that beautiful soft background. 

These images of Catrina and Cheo were captured at that time of day.  The sun was on it's way down and added a beautiful warmth to the images.  The warmth was further highlighted with the use of a long lens to soften the background, giving their portraits a soft dreamy quality.