What Are Blue Hour Wedding Photos?

May 10, 2021 Steve Vansak

A romantic kiss during blue hour at a wedding at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana.

The blue hour is the 30 to 40 minute period just after sunset and before sunrise. It can make for incredibly romantic and unique wedding photos.

I often take these blue hour wedding photos as portraits with the newlyweds as we sneak out of the reception for a few minutes. However, blue hour wedding photos can occur during a twilight outdoor ceremony or even the first dance of open air venues such as Four Corners Winery and The Pavilion at Sandy Pines. Take a look below.

Blue hour wedding ceremony and reception photos.

We are at the mercy of Mother Nature for these types of images though. If we get cloudy skies we simply aren’t going to get that blue in the sky. Also, facing West is helpful and while not necessary, I do like some other ambient light in the scene such as from the barn window in the images below as well as the leaning lighthouse off of the lake.

I have a special way of lighting these as well to make them look natural but yet bring out even more of the blue in the sky.

A blue hour wedding photo at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

A blue hour wedding photo with light reflections at Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana.

Are you up for attempting some blue hour photos at your wedding? While I like to leave you alone during the reception to enjoy your wedding, if you want this look I’d be glad to pop outside for a few minutes to capture these for you provided location and weather cooperate.

Here are a few more images below at weddings as well as some portraits I’ve done at blue hour in Chicago.

As always, Contact Me Here to find out availability and to schedule a meeting.

Blue hour portraits taken in Chicago, Illinois.

Bridal Portrait Session In Chicago

November 26, 2018 Steve Vansak

Black and white portrait on the Dearborn Street bridge in Chicago, Illinois.

The most popular pre-wedding sessions are definitely engagement sessions in casual clothes with your fiancé. However, back in the day Bridal Portrait Sessions were all the rage. They are still popular in the southern region of the USA. They used to be done entirely in a studio. Today they are done on location with the following in mind:

a solo fashion shoot with the wedding dress
classic, artful and fashion forward posing
a chance to display these images next to your mother or grandmother who also had these done
an opportunity for more locations / times of day and being able to work around weather and take your time
can be done as a replacement or an addition to an engagement session
a great trial run for your makeup
usually done about 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding, but not a rule.

I recently did a modern take on the Bridal Portrait Session in Chicago with Michelle. I am now offering these session and you will find a link to them down below. Here are some images from the session along with more info from this America’s Top Model like photo shoot.

Bride underneath the honeycomb grid at the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Michelle wanted a Runaway Bride theme much like Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City. This involved hailing a few taxis and having her walk downtown alone. Ordering an Uber or Lyft would be more modern, but we were going for the classic city feel.

A bride hails herself a taxi on the streets of Chicago.

A bride walks alone on the streets of downtown Chicago during a bridal portrait session.

Earlier in the day, Michelle’s styling of hair and make up was done by Genell Banks from Beauty by Genell. She is a highly skilled artist in the greater Chicago area. Definitely hop over to her website if you are in need of styling for your bridal portrait session or wedding.

Black and white portraits of a bride in Chicago, Illinois.

We also wanted to incorporate the grandness of the skyscrapers along the city skyline, so we hit North Avenue Beach for a stroll along Lake Michigan.

A view of the skyscrapers in Chicago from North Avenue Beach during a bridal portrait session.

Images from a bridal portrait session in Chicago on North Avenue Beach.

If you have an idea or theme in mind for your own bridal portrait session, let’s chat about it. Here are some other ideas / locations for you to think about.

Go to Chicago with it’s endless opportunities for locations.
Consider a day / night session for some unique city at night pictures.
Go local and do the session in nature.
Have the session at your wedding venue.
Incorporate a mini boudoir session with intimate portraits indoors or out.

I’m so glad Michelle and I did this bridal portrait session in Chicago so we could show off this new / retro bridal photo shoot that is now live in the Region Weddings Shop for booking. You can also fill out the Contact Form for questions. To see a local version, please check out this Bridal Portrait Session At Barker Mansion.

Downtown Chicago Engagement Photos

September 23, 2015 Steve Vansak

A couple embraces along the water of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago.

We had perfect Fall temperatures for Lauren and Brandon's engagement session in downtown Chicago. The wind made the waters of Lake Michigan a bit choppy, but the way it splashed onto the shoreline made a perfect setting for some lakeside smooching.

We started the day with Lauren's mom sending her off at the South Shore train station. We then made our way through the Loop area for some city lifestyle photos.

Mom sees off her daughter for an engagement photos session in Chicago.

With the hustle and bustle of the city all around them, the happy couple was in their own world dwarfed by skyscrapers and the lit street lamps near State Street.

A couple in love kisses beneath the street lamps of State Street.

We took advantage of all the windy city has to offer, from the architecture to the beautiful landscaping and the iconic Chicago Theater sign.

I hope you have enjoyed this quick look at Lauren and Brandon's Chicago Session. Engagement photos in the city are great all year around. Even winter can make for some wonderful city shots, especially in black and white.

North Avenue Beach Chicago Engagement Session

July 15, 2015 Steve Vansak

A couple strolls down the boardwalk at North Avenue Beach in Chicago.

Carla and Rob told me it was important that they go to a Chicago beach for their engagement session and that they show off their bright blue anchor that is adorned with their wedding date.

We started their Chicago Engagement Session by boarding the South Shore train and taking shots with the city as our backdrop. Our adventure for their engagement photos saw us making our way toward the Chicago River and ending our session at North Avenue Beach.

Chicago engagement photos on State Street and North Avenue Beach.

Carla and Rob are one of my June weddings for next year. Their homemade anchor proudly showcases their big day. With only one Saturday in June left open, it's going to be another busy year of weddings!!

An engaged couple displays their wedding date on a boat anchor at North Avenue Beach in Chicago..

Our final shot of the Chicago engagement session was taken off the boardwalk at North Avenue Beach with the buildings of the city and Lake Shore Drive in the background.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Carla and Rob's North Avenue Beach Chicago engagement session. To inquire about booking your own, please fill out the Contact Form.