Golden Hour Calculator – Sunrise & Sunset Times
In photography, a Golden Hour calculator finds the first or last moments of sunlight where the indirect light is evenly diffused and helps produce a softer and more warm light.
With the Sun being in a low position, the sunlight acquires warm, orange tones and the shadows become very long. This is definitely something we try to take advantage of in our photography.
When is the Golden Hour time?
Although it is spoken of as a magic hour, it does not mean that it actually lasts an hour. The duration depends on the latitude at which we are and the time of year, so they are rather moments of light. That is why it is difficult to give an exact definition of when is the golden hour, but it can be roughly defined by the sun’s position in the sky:
- The golden hour time is between 6 ° and -4 °. It is just before the sun hides and a little afterward.
- The blue hour is between -4º and -6º. It is when the sun has recently gone past the horizon.
- Twilight is between -6º and -12º. It is when the sun has already been hidden for a while, but there is still a bit of light.
Although not as popular, it also applies to the sunrise times in the morning as well. Just take the previous description and apply it backward.
What time is Golden Hour today?
There are multiple calculators to help find what time is golden hour today in your area, but the following three are our all-time favorites to find that magical hour for photography. We use them all the time in order to set the best times for our vacation photoshoots around the world.
Simple Sunset Calculator
Roughly speaking, the golden hour is the last magical hour of light before sunset and the first hour after sunrise. Depending on the season & your location, the golden hour time range may be a lot shorter or longer.
Golden-Hour.com
Local Lens uses this Golden-Hour.com to help find the perfect times for photography in destinations all over the world. It also calculates the exact sunrise, sunset, Magic hour, and Blue Hour time for that part of the world. Simply drag and drop or select your destination on the map and the web app will provide all the information you’ll need, whether you need the time for today or tomorrow.
Go to Golden-hour.com calculator
Example from Golden-Hour.com in Europe
GoldenHour.One
To find what time is Golden Hour today, we also use GoldenHour.One by Hana Kusova. It will help you find the best time for natural light based on your location. As photographers, we work with light since it is our “raw material”. Like any other element or ingredient, light has properties, and GoldenHour.One focuses on these to give you the most useful information possible.
Check out their “Sky Index” which shows the probability of having a dramatic sky that day, or the “Light Index” which determines the local quality of light and temperature. It will help you find the perfect time to go out and take beautiful photos!
Go to Goldenhour.one calculator
Don’t let stupendous light escape your next photographs!
