Maine & NH Wedding Photographer | Golden Hour Is Cool, But Let’s Talk About Stormy Skies

Everyone loves golden hour. Soft light, warm tones, sun politely behaving like it read the wedding blogs. Cool. I get it.

But let me say the quiet part out loud:
some of the most dramatic, cinematic wedding photos happen when the sky is moody as hell.

Storm clouds rolling in. Heavy texture in the sky. Wind doing its thing. That’s where the good stuff lives.

Here’s the difference: golden hour is pretty. Stormy skies are powerful.

When the sky is overcast or threatening rain, I’m not chasing the sun, I’m shaping the light. I use intentional lighting to create contrast, depth, and mood while letting the sky stay dark and dramatic instead of blown out and boring. The clouds become part of the story, not something we’re apologizing for.

And here’s the big win no one talks about:
we can shoot from any direction.

No squinting into harsh sunlight.
No racing the clock because the sun dipped behind a tree.
No “stand exactly here or the light will hate us.”

Stormy skies give us freedom. We can turn you any way, move fast, slow things down, and still get bold, emotional images that show off the environment instead of fighting it.

This is where lighting really matters. Anyone can wait for good light. Not everyone knows how to create it.

I light my couples in a way that keeps skin tones clean and real while letting the sky stay dark and textured. The result? Images that feel intense, grounded, and cinematic…photos that look like they belong in a movie still.

So yes, golden hour is lovely.
But if the clouds roll in and the sky starts acting dramatic?

Trust me.
That’s when things get really good.