Opal Hour LLC | Opal Hour Photo

Formerly Brianna Danielle Photo

What does the name Opal Hour mean?


The quick answer: I love opals. They're something I'm always wearing and I thought the name would be a fun play on the photography term golden hour: that brilliantly, warm light just before sunset or after sunrise.


The heartfelt answer: I had the privilege of doing a boudoir photoshoot at the Great Salt Lake, with my friend Madison, and instead of the typical golden hour warm hues, it was the most colorful, vibrant sky of cotton candy, pinks, and blues. I fondly think of those rare sunsets as "opal hour."


The branding was inspired by the desert, which is where I’ve found a lot of healing and reconnection to myself, and the universe. Something about the desert makes me feel so happy, inspired, and recharged. I adore the desert colors, exploring new landscapes, and admiring all of the plants. It felt serendipitous that opals are often unearthed in places that have now become deserts.


Opals were already my favorite stone, but they've become even more meaningful to me, over the years, because they are my husband's birth stone, and my dog, Olive’s. (We love Libras in this house!) I love October and spooky season, so it just made sense to have it become a part of my branding, and give my business a matching birthstone. (I launched my business rebrand on October 12th, 2023!)


I find it extremely tender that opals are a soft stone. Opals are a reminder of the care and gentleness that we all deserve. A quick google search will show you a number of meanings for the stone; some that resonate with me are: hope, confidence, and creativity.


Lastly, I chose the word "hour" as shortened version for the word hourglass, and a synonym for time. I had this imagery of an hourglass filled with desert sand, laying on its side, with the sands motionless, inside the vessel.


Much like a photograph, a motionless hourglass is a peacefully contained moment, frozen in time.