The golden hour is also sometimes called the "magic hour," especially by cinematographers and photographers.[1][2] During these times, the brightness of the sky matches the brightness of streetlights, signs, car headlights and lit windows.
The period of time shortly before the magic hour at sunrise, or after it at sunset, is called the "blue hour". This is when the sun is at a significant depth below the horizon, when residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade, and there are no sharp shadows because the sun either has not risen, or has already set.
The color temperature of daylight varies with the time of day. It tends to be around 2,000 K shortly after sunrise or before sunset, around 3,500 K during "golden hour", and around 5,500 K at midday. The color temperature can also change significantly with altitude, latitude, season, and weather conditions.
The term hour is used figuratively; the effect has no clearly defined duration and varies according to season and latitude. The character of the lighting is determined by the sun's altitude, and the time for the sun to move from the horizon to a specified altitude depends on a location's latitude and the time of year.[4] In Los Angeles, California, at an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset, the sun has an altitude of about 10–12°.[5] For a location closer to the Equator, the same altitude is reached in less than an hour, and for a location farther from the equator, the altitude is reached in more than one hour. For a location sufficiently far from the equator, the sun may not reach an altitude of 10°, and the golden hour lasts for the entire day in certain seasons.
In the middle of the day, the bright overhead sun can create strong highlights and dark shadows. The degree to which overexposure can occur varies because different types of film and digital cameras have different dynamic ranges. This harsh lighting problem is particularly important in portrait photography, where a fill flash is often necessary to balance lighting across the subject's face or body, filling in strong shadows that are usually considered undesirable.
Because the contrast is less during the golden hour, shadows are less dark, and highlights are less likely to be overexposed. In landscape photography, the warm color of the low sun is often considered desirable to enhance the colours of the scene.[6] It is the best time of day for natural photography when diffuse and warm light is desired.[7]
^Solar altitude in Los Angeles, CA, at 1 hour after sunrise computed for 21 March, 21 June, 21 September, and 21 December 2009 using the U.S. Naval Observatory Data Services 2021-01-17 at the Wayback Machine Altitude and Azimuth of the sun or moon During One Day 2011-08-01 at the Wayback Machine on 30 July 2009. Values obtained were 11.7°, 10.5°, 11.7°, and 9.75°.
^Bauer, Mark (2020-05-12). "Golden Hour Photography: A Landscape Photographer's Guide". Nature TTL. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
^"35 Best Sunset Photography Tips and Ideas - PhotographyAxis". PhotographyAxis. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
Lynch-Johnt, Barbara A., and Michelle Perkins. 2008. Illustrated Dictionary of Photography: The Professional's Guide to Terms and Techniques. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media, Inc. ISBN978-1-58428-222-8
Singleton, Ralph S., and James A. Conrad. 2000. Filmmaker's Dictionary. 2nd ed. Ed. Janna Wong Healy. Hollywood, California: Lone Eagle Publishing Company. ISBN1-58065-022-8
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golden hour (photography).
Twilight Calculator – Blue Hour / Golden Hour Table
Golden Hour Photography: A Landscape Photographer's Guide
October 20, 2023
golden, hour, photography, other, uses, golden, hour, photography, golden, hour, period, daytime, shortly, after, sunrise, before, sunset, during, which, daylight, redder, softer, than, when, higher, comparison, daylight, versus, golden, hour, newbury, racecou. For other uses see Golden hour In photography the golden hour is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset during which daylight is redder and softer than when the sun is higher in the sky Comparison of daylight versus the golden hour at Newbury RacecourseThe golden hour is also sometimes called the magic hour especially by cinematographers and photographers 1 2 During these times the brightness of the sky matches the brightness of streetlights signs car headlights and lit windows The period of time shortly before the magic hour at sunrise or after it at sunset is called the blue hour This is when the sun is at a significant depth below the horizon when residual indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade and there are no sharp shadows because the sun either has not risen or has already set Contents 1 Details 2 See also 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksDetails Edit nbsp The color temperature of daylight varies with the time of day It tends to be around 2 000 K shortly after sunrise or before sunset around 3 500 K during golden hour and around 5 500 K at midday The color temperature can also change significantly with altitude latitude season and weather conditions When the sun is low above the horizon sunlight rays must penetrate the atmosphere for a greater distance reducing the intensity of the direct light so that more of the illumination comes from indirect light from the sky 3 reducing the lighting ratio This is technically a type of lighting diffusion More blue light is scattered so if the sun is present its light appears more reddish In addition the sun s low angle above the horizon produces longer shadows The term hour is used figuratively the effect has no clearly defined duration and varies according to season and latitude The character of the lighting is determined by the sun s altitude and the time for the sun to move from the horizon to a specified altitude depends on a location s latitude and the time of year 4 In Los Angeles California at an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset the sun has an altitude of about 10 12 5 For a location closer to the Equator the same altitude is reached in less than an hour and for a location farther from the equator the altitude is reached in more than one hour For a location sufficiently far from the equator the sun may not reach an altitude of 10 and the golden hour lasts for the entire day in certain seasons In the middle of the day the bright overhead sun can create strong highlights and dark shadows The degree to which overexposure can occur varies because different types of film and digital cameras have different dynamic ranges This harsh lighting problem is particularly important in portrait photography where a fill flash is often necessary to balance lighting across the subject s face or body filling in strong shadows that are usually considered undesirable Because the contrast is less during the golden hour shadows are less dark and highlights are less likely to be overexposed In landscape photography the warm color of the low sun is often considered desirable to enhance the colours of the scene 6 It is the best time of day for natural photography when diffuse and warm light is desired 7 nbsp Bangkok during the golden hour nbsp Portrait photo taken during the golden hour nbsp Golden hour at downtown Kaohsiung Taiwan nbsp Golden hour at Long Beach in South Africa nbsp A view of Jakarta s skyline during the golden hour nbsp Alor Setar Kedah at the golden hour near sunset at 19 43 pmSee also EditAlpenglow Blue hourReferences Edit Steven Ascher The Filmmaker s Handbook 5th edition 2019 p 428 Blain Brown Cinematography Theory and Practice 3rd edition 2016 p 283 Thomas 1973 9 13 Bermingham 2003 214 Solar altitude in Los Angeles CA at 1 hour after sunrise computed for 21 March 21 June 21 September and 21 December 2009 using the U S Naval Observatory Data Services Archived 2021 01 17 at the Wayback Machine Altitude and Azimuth of the sun or moon During One Day Archived 2011 08 01 at the Wayback Machine on 30 July 2009 Values obtained were 11 7 10 5 11 7 and 9 75 Bauer Mark 2020 05 12 Golden Hour Photography A Landscape Photographer s Guide Nature TTL Retrieved 2020 05 14 35 Best Sunset Photography Tips and Ideas PhotographyAxis PhotographyAxis 2018 08 02 Retrieved 2018 08 11 Bibliography EditBermingham Alan 2003 Location Lighting for Television Boston Focal Press ISBN 0 240 51937 X Lynch David K and William Livingston 1995 Color and Light in Nature Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 46836 1 Lynch Johnt Barbara A and Michelle Perkins 2008 Illustrated Dictionary of Photography The Professional s Guide to Terms and Techniques Buffalo NY Amherst Media Inc ISBN 978 1 58428 222 8 Singleton Ralph S and James A Conrad 2000 Filmmaker s Dictionary 2nd ed Ed Janna Wong Healy Hollywood California Lone Eagle Publishing Company ISBN 1 58065 022 8 Thomas Woodlief ed 1973 SPSE Handbook of Photographic Science and Engineering New York John Wiley and Sons ISBN 0 471 81880 1External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golden hour photography Golden Hour Calculator Twilight Calculator Blue Hour Golden Hour Table Golden Hour Photography A Landscape Photographer s Guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Golden hour photography amp oldid 1180368661, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
