The golden hour is the short window just after sunrise and just before sunset when the sun sits low and the light turns soft, warm, and golden — the most flattering natural light you can shoot in. It’s a favorite of professional photographers because it delivers gorgeous, dimensional results without expensive lighting gear. Here’s exactly when it happens, the camera settings to use, and how to make the most of it (plus how to fake it when the weather doesn’t cooperate).
Sunrise brings its own challenges, so follow our guide on how to take good sunrise photos.What time is golden hour? Golden hour happens twice a day — for about an hour after sunrise and for about an hour before sunset. The exact timing and length depend on your location, the season, and your distance from the equator: it’s shorter near the equator and longer toward the poles. The easiest way to get the precise time for any day and place is a free golden hour calculator (or a sun-tracking app). The light is a warm mix of soft, low-angle sunlight that flatters almost any subject.
Because the window is short, plan ahead: scout your location, set up early, and be ready to shoot the moment the light turns. The position of the sun relative to your subject — front, side, or back — is what gives you control over the look.
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What Is Golden Hour?
Outdoor photography is harder than it looks if you don’t understand natural light. The golden hour solves much of that for you: it’s the time near sunrise and sunset when the sun is low on the horizon and its light is naturally softened and warmed as it travels through more of the atmosphere.
During this short window, the sun casts a soft golden hue from a low angle, eliminating the harsh shadows and blown-out highlights you get at midday. It lets both beginners and professionals capture striking images without expensive equipment. Experiment with shooting from different angles relative to the sun to see how dramatically the look changes.
The timing and duration depend on your location and the weather. As a rule, golden hour lasts roughly an hour — the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset — and is shorter closer to the equator, longer farther from it.
Characteristics of Natural Light in Golden Hour
So what exactly makes golden hour light so good for photography? Four qualities stand out.
Soft, Diffused Light
At golden hour the sunlight isn’t harsh. The atmosphere acts as a natural diffuser, spreading the light and softening it on your subject. That eliminates the deep, unflattering shadows and blown-out highlights you fight against under the midday sun.
A Low Sun Angle
With the sun just a few degrees above the horizon, light scatters toward the warm end of the spectrum — yellows, oranges, and reds. That’s where the “golden” name comes from: the warm color temperature the sun casts on your subject at dawn and dusk.
Directional Light
Because the sun is low, you can position your subject so the light hits from the front, side, or behind. That directionality is a creative tool — you choose the mood by choosing the angle.
Long, Soft Shadows
The low angle also stretches shadows out and keeps them soft. Long, gentle shadows add depth, texture, and a three-dimensional, warm feel to your images that’s hard to replicate any other time of day.
When Is Golden Hour? (Golden Hour Calculator)
There’s no single clock time for golden hour — it shifts with your location, season, and time zone. The fastest way to find it is a free online golden hour calculator or a sun-tracking app, which give you the exact start and end times for any date and place.
You can also work it out from your local sunrise and sunset times: golden hour runs for roughly the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. Check the weather too — clear skies give the cleanest golden light, while heavy cloud can cut the window short.
Golden Hour Camera Settings
There’s no single “correct” setup, but these starting points will get you sharp, warm, well-exposed golden hour shots. Adjust as the light changes — it shifts noticeably every few minutes.
| Setting | Starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Aperture Priority (A / Av) | Control depth of field; let the camera set shutter |
| Aperture | f/2 – f/4 portraits, f/8 – f/11 landscapes | Wide for bokeh, narrow for sharp scenes |
| ISO | 100 – 400 | Keep noise low; raise as light fades |
| White balance | Cloudy / Shade (or 3500–5500K) | Preserves the warm golden tones |
| File format | RAW | Lets you fine-tune white balance later |
Shooting in RAW is the safety net here: if your white balance is slightly off, you can recover the golden warmth in editing without quality loss. Avoid the camera’s Auto white balance, which often “corrects” the warm tones right out of your photo.
When Should You Shoot in Golden Hour?
Golden hour is the most economical “lighting setup” in photography — it’s free. It shines for landscapes, portraits, and still life, where the warm, soft light adds depth and vibrancy. You can even borrow the effect indoors using soft window light for flattering selfies and headshots.
How to Use Golden Hour: Step by Step
Step 1 – Plan Your Shoot
The window is only about 60 minutes, so plan ahead. Scout your landscape or portrait location in advance, arrive early, and have your camera set up before the light peaks so you don’t waste a minute of it.
Step 2 – Calculate the Golden Hour Times
Use a calculator or app to find the exact start and end for your location and date, then build your schedule around it. Remember the window can be longer or shorter depending on how far you are from the equator.
Step 3 – Prepare Your Gear
For landscapes, bring a tripod in case the fading light calls for longer exposures. Include a strong foreground to give the warm scene real depth. For an indoor shoot, position your subject near a large window. Use spot metering to expose for your subject rather than the bright sky.
Step 4 – Choose Your Aperture
For portraits, open the aperture wide (low f-number) to create creamy background blur. For landscapes and architecture, narrow it down (higher f-number) to keep the whole scene sharp. New to the genre? See our full landscape photography guide. Beginners can use Aperture Priority and let the camera pick the shutter speed.
Step 5 – Work Fast, the Light Changes
The color and intensity of the light shift every few minutes during golden hour. If you want a consistent set, shoot quickly; if you want variety, embrace the change and capture the same scene as the light evolves.
Step 6 – Watch for Unwanted Shadows
That low sun creates long shadows, which can fall awkwardly across a portrait. Reposition your subject or change your angle to keep stray shadows out of the frame.
Step 7 – Set Your White Balance
To keep the warm glow, avoid Auto white balance, which tends to neutralize it. Set white balance manually to roughly 3500–5500K (or use the Cloudy/Shade preset). Better still, shoot RAW so you can fine-tune it later with no quality loss.
Step 8 – Use the Sun’s Position Creatively
The direction of the light defines the shot:
- Side light — best for portraits; creates depth, texture, and a dreamy feel with soft shadows.
- Front light — even, flattering illumination across the subject.
- Backlight — places the sun behind the subject for a glowing rim or halo effect.
- Silhouettes — expose for the bright background with a dark subject in front for a striking outline.
- Lens flare — let light hit the lens directly for a warm, rainbow-tinged creative effect.
How to Fake Golden Hour
When the weather won’t cooperate, you can recreate the look. In-camera, use a warming gel over a flash or an orange/CTO gel on a video light, and add a reflector or diffuser to soften and warm the light on your subject. In post, shoot RAW and warm the white balance, lift the shadows, and add a subtle orange tint in Lightroom or similar software to mimic that golden glow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is golden hour?
Golden hour happens twice a day: about an hour after sunrise and about an hour before sunset. The exact times depend on your location, season, and distance from the equator, so the easiest way to find them is a free golden hour calculator or a sun-tracking app.
How long does golden hour last?
Roughly 60 minutes, but it varies. Golden hour is shorter near the equator and longer toward the poles, and clouds can cut it short. Always check the calculator for your specific location and date, and arrive early to make the most of it.
What camera settings are best for golden hour?
Start in Aperture Priority with a low ISO (100–400), a wide aperture (f/2–f/4) for portraits or narrow (f/8–f/11) for landscapes, and a Cloudy/Shade white balance to keep the warm tones. Shoot RAW so you can fine-tune the white balance later.
Is golden hour the same as blue hour?
No. Golden hour is the warm, golden light just after sunrise and before sunset. Blue hour is the cooler, blue-toned twilight that occurs just before sunrise and just after sunset, when the sun is below the horizon. They sit back to back but produce very different moods.
