To learn more about making the most of light in the comfort of home, we spoke with Stella Simona, a jewelry designer and creative director from Los Angeles, California. She has two brands Haati Chai and Amarilo Jewelry, as well as a blog, Chai Time, where she places her aesthetic touch on beauty, design and style.

Read her take on utilizing golden hour.

VSCO — How did you come to consistently make images this way?

Stella Simona — Honestly, it took a lot of trial and error. I found myself spending all day trying to get a specific shot and I found there was only certain times of the day where I felt my vision was able to be executed. ​I eventually realized that mood I wanted to capture was highly dependent on a certain kind of light. This light has become one of my signature settings.

V — How does this evening light make you feel when experiencing it at home?

SS — The sun is always therapy for me. Golden light is warm, soft, dimensional. It produces a dreamy, nostalgic, romantic effect. On days when I don’t get to take in this time of day, I feel I’ve missed a big portion of the rituals that keep me balanced. It’s such a relaxing time of day.

V — What is the importance of good lighting in your work?

SS — For my aesthetic, it is the core of the image. I have to always be very intentional with my choice of lighting because the right lighting makes or breaks the shot. When I photograph an image in golden light, I can leave the image almost as is and make the most subtle post-processing edits. To me, there’s more beauty to an image when it feels this raw.

V — How are you controlling the light in your photos?

SS — In truth, the light I am most inspired by isn't artificial. There is a need to be flexible, because golden hour comes at a very specific time of the day. It’s really important to learn the space you’re shooting in and calculate what time the light will be just right, since golden hour disappears very quickly. I have found that if it’s a new location, spending the full day before shooting helps to map out when the light I’m looking for will be present.

I love to create unexpected shadows by positioning certain objects or utilizing the natural shadows of the environment I'm in.

V — For you, what pairs best when styling a shoot at golden hour?

SS — I love to carefully utilize different elements that complement one another - textures, shapes, silhouettes, shadows. Shadow play is such a powerful and underutilized photo trick and with golden hour comes the opportunity to create shadows with beaming golden light that create the best moody images. I also often incorporate glassware with water to create rich reflections and add dimension to my images.

Try Stella Simona's recipe when editing for your golden hour shots, and share what you create on VSCO.