You may have heard about golden hour photography, but what exactly is this magical moment in time? Ask any photographer what time of day produces the best light for a photograph and you’ll almost always get the same answer – golden hour!
What is Golden Hour?
Golden hour is the short window of time right after sunrise and again right before sunset, when the air is filled with a flattering golden hue that’s perfect for photographing everything from landscapes to portraits.
The sun is low in the sky during these hours and more diffuse (and redder) than normal thanks to having to be filtered for a greater distance through the atmosphere. At golden hour, you won’t get the kind of harsh shadows you see at high noon.
Since the sun is so low on the horizon, the light is directional, creating long, and soft shadows giving dimension to your photographs. You can use that soft dimensional light to achieve creative effects that aren’t possible at any other time of day. Here are a few of the
Why use the golden hour for photography?
Diffused light
Since the sun is at a low angle during the Golden Hour, sunlight is traveling through more of the atmosphere, which softens and reduces the intensity of direct light. This makes your job easier as a photographer as the diffused, golden light produces less contrast and evenly exposed photographs.
The light is warm and glowing
Since the light is traveling longer through the atmosphere, the blue light gets filtered out, resulting in a more reddish and warm color. The red and yellow color of the light adds a magical and inviting warmth to your photographs.
Longer and softer shadows
The steep angle of the light also makes beautiful shadows and pleasing contrast adding depth and dimension to your images.
When is Golden Hour?
Golden hour varies depending on where you are, what time of year it is, and what the weather is like. But a general rule of thumb is that golden hour is about an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset.
BOTTOM LINE - YOU WANT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE TAKEN DURING GOLDEN HOUR!
0 Comments