Golden Hour Calculator

What is golden hour?

Golden hour is the stretch of time just after sunrise and again just before sunset when the sun sits low — from about 6° above the horizon down to 4° below it. Sunlight travels a long, shallow path through the atmosphere, which scatters away the blue wavelengths and leaves warm, soft, directional light. It is the most flattering natural light of the day for portraits, landscapes and film.

Its length is not fixed. Near the equator golden hour can be as short as 30–40 minutes; at high latitudes in summer it can stretch well past an hour. That is why the calculator above computes the exact window for a specific place and date rather than quoting a rule of thumb.

How to use golden hour

Check the start time and the sun's bearing, then arrive about 15 minutes early so you are set up before the light peaks. Backlight or side-light your subject for rim light and long shadows, keep white balance on "Daylight" so the warmth survives, and keep shooting straight into the blue hour that follows.

Want the full breakdown? Read What is golden hour? A photographer's complete guide.