Golden Hour / Blue Hour Calculator

About Golden Hour / Blue Hour Calculator

Welcome to the Golden Hour & Blue Hour Calculator, the ultimate tool for photographers who want to capture stunning images during the most magical lighting conditions of the day. Whether you are planning a portrait session, landscape shoot, or architectural photography, knowing the exact timing of golden hour and blue hour is essential for achieving professional results.

What is Golden Hour?

Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon, typically between 0 and 6 degrees above the horizon. During this time, sunlight travels through more of Earth's atmosphere, which scatters the shorter blue wavelengths and allows the warm orange and red wavelengths to dominate. This creates:

• Soft, Diffused Light: The low sun angle produces gentle shadows without harsh contrasts
• Warm Color Temperature: Natural golden tones ranging from 2500K to 3500K Kelvin
• Long Shadows: Creates dramatic depth and dimension in your photos
• Flattering Skin Tones: The warm light is universally flattering for portrait photography
• Rim Lighting Opportunities: Perfect for creating backlit silhouettes and glowing hair edges

What is Blue Hour?

Blue hour occurs during civil twilight, when the sun is between 4 and 6 degrees below the horizon. Unlike the warm golden hour, blue hour provides a cool, ethereal quality to images:

• Deep Blue Sky: The sky takes on saturated blue tones while retaining some ambient light
• Balanced Light: Natural light levels are similar to artificial city lights
• Long Exposures: Low light allows for creative long-exposure techniques
• Moody Atmosphere: Perfect for creating mysterious, atmospheric images
• Cityscape Magic: City lights blend beautifully with the remaining natural light

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter your coordinates: Input the latitude and longitude of your photography location. Use the "Use My Location" button for automatic detection, or enter coordinates manually from Google Maps.
2. Select the date: Choose the date you plan to shoot. Golden hour and blue hour times vary significantly throughout the year.
3. Set your timezone: Select the correct UTC offset for your location to get accurate local times.
4. Calculate: Click the button to see detailed timing information including exact start and end times, durations, and a visual timeline.
5. Plan your shoot: Arrive at your location 15-20 minutes before the calculated time to set up and scout compositions.

Understanding the Results

Morning vs. Evening Golden Hour

While both produce warm, golden light, there are subtle differences:

• Morning Golden Hour: Often cleaner air with less haze, cooler temperatures, fewer crowds at popular locations
• Evening Golden Hour: Typically warmer tones due to dust and particles in the air, more convenient timing for many photographers

Seasonal Variations

The duration and quality of golden hour varies dramatically based on your latitude and the time of year:

• Equator: Short but consistent golden hours year-round (20-30 minutes)
• Mid-latitudes: Longer golden hours during spring and autumn equinoxes
• High latitudes: Extended golden hours during summer, potentially lasting hours near the Arctic or Antarctic circles

Photography Tips for Golden Hour

Portrait Photography

• Position your subject with the sun behind them for a beautiful rim light effect
• Use a reflector or fill flash to illuminate the face when backlighting
• Shoot into the sun for dreamy lens flare effects
• The warm light is naturally flattering - reduce warmth in post if needed

Landscape Photography

• Scout your location beforehand to find the best compositions
• Use graduated neutral density filters to balance bright skies with darker foregrounds
• Look for elements that catch the golden light - water, buildings, trees
• Long shadows add depth and dimension to flat landscapes

Blue Hour Techniques

• Use a tripod for sharp long exposures
• Cityscape photographers: this is when artificial lights balance with ambient sky light
• Experiment with 15-30 second exposures for smooth water and cloud movement
• White balance adjustments can enhance or reduce the blue tones

Frequently Asked Questions

What is golden hour in photography?

Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise or before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon (0-6 degrees above). During this time, sunlight travels through more atmosphere, creating warm, soft, diffused light with long shadows. This lighting is highly prized by photographers for portraits, landscapes, and architectural photography because it produces flattering skin tones and dramatic depth.

What is blue hour in photography?

Blue hour occurs during civil twilight, when the sun is between 4-6 degrees below the horizon. The sky takes on a deep blue hue while ambient light levels are still sufficient for photography. This period is ideal for cityscapes, architectural photography, and creating moody atmospheric images. Blue hour typically lasts 20-40 minutes, depending on your latitude and time of year.

How long does golden hour last?

Golden hour duration varies by location and season. Near the equator, it may last only 20-30 minutes. At higher latitudes, especially during spring and autumn, golden hour can extend to 60-90 minutes or more. During summer at extreme latitudes, golden hour can last for hours. This calculator shows you the exact duration for your specific location and date.

Why are golden hour and blue hour times different each day?

The sun's path across the sky changes throughout the year due to Earth's axial tilt. During summer, the sun rises earlier and sets later, while winter brings shorter days. The angle at which the sun rises and sets also changes, affecting how long the golden and blue hours last. Latitude plays a major role too - locations closer to the poles experience more dramatic seasonal variations.

How accurate is this golden hour calculator?

This calculator uses astronomical algorithms to compute sun positions based on your coordinates and date. The calculated times are typically accurate within a few minutes. For critical professional shoots, we recommend arriving at your location 15-20 minutes before the calculated time to set up and observe actual lighting conditions, which can be affected by local weather, terrain, and atmospheric conditions.

Technical Details

Sun Elevation Angles

This calculator uses the following standard definitions:

• Sunrise/Sunset: Sun center at -0.833 degrees (accounting for atmospheric refraction and solar disc radius)
• Golden Hour: Sun between 0 and 6 degrees above the horizon
• Blue Hour: Sun between -4 and -6 degrees below the horizon (civil twilight)
• Civil Twilight: Sun between 0 and -6 degrees

Algorithm

The calculator uses simplified astronomical equations including:

• Solar declination based on the day of year
• Equation of time for correcting solar noon
• Hour angle calculations for various sun elevations
• Timezone offset application for local time display

Related Resources

• Golden Hour Photography - Wikipedia
• Blue Hour - Wikipedia
• Twilight and Civil Twilight - Wikipedia