Golden Hour vs Blue Hour: When to Shoot Each

Golden hour is the time just after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low, roughly between 6° above and 4° below the horizon. Light is warm, soft and directional, shadows are long and skin tones look great.

Blue hour happens when the sun is about 4° to 8° below the horizon, just before sunrise and after sunset. The sky turns a deep, even blue, city lights balance with the sky, and there are no harsh shadows.

Pick golden hour for portraits, landscapes with texture and warm tones. Pick blue hour for cityscapes, architecture, long exposures and moody scenes. Many photographers shoot both back to back: golden hour first, then stay for blue hour at sunset.

Times change with the date and your exact location. Open any spot in LensScape to see today’s golden and blue hour, then drag the Light Tracker through the day to see where the sun will be.