The Golden Hour: taking advantage of natural light

Perfect exposure plays a fundamental role in photography. Golden hour is one of the best times of day to take natural, romantic and atmospheric photos. This is when the light is particularly soft and warm. The "golden hour" occurs approximately one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. It is worthwhile for every photographer to take advantage of this time! Read this article to find out why you can take breathtaking photos during the golden hour without much effort. You can also find out how to make the most of the natural light.

What is the "Golden Hour"?

The "Golden Hour" occurs at two times during the day: shortly after sunrise and just before sunset. During this time, the sun is low on the horizon. This creates a soft, golden light which, in contrast to the glaring midday sun, does not produce any harsh shadows. As a result, the images do not have high contrasts. The light of the "Golden Hour" gives your photos a soft and warm atmosphere, from which portrait and landscape photos in particular benefit. The "Golden Hour" is a perfect moment to work with natural light sources. The timing and duration of the "golden hour" depend on several factors:

Season
geographical location
weather conditions

If the sky is very cloudy, for example, the "golden hour" may not occur at all. To know exactly when this special lighting mood occurs, you can use an app developed for this purpose. As a rule, however, it is sufficient to observe the sunrise and sunset. As a rough rule of thumb, the "golden hour" begins in the morning directly after sunrise and lasts for about an hour. In the evening, you can enjoy the magical light atmosphere from about an hour before sunset.

Four advantages of natural light during the "golden hour"

The light atmosphere of the "Golden Hour" has many advantages over artificial lighting, but also in comparison to the glaring midday light. The four most important advantages are

Soft lighting mood: the light is very soft and diffuse, which is why there are no hard shadows. Strong transitions and contrasts, which often occur in direct sunlight, are reduced. The faces and objects are evenly lit. This creates a natural, flattering effect in photographs.
Warm atmosphere: Warm, golden tones dominate in the "Golden Hour". They give photos a romantic and inviting atmosphere. Artificial lighting can only reproduce this effect with difficulty. In portrait photography in particular, warm lighting creates a natural, healthy complexion.
Long shadows: The low sun during "Golden Hour" results in longer shadows. These give your photos more depth and dimension. Especially when photographing landscapes, this goes hand in hand with dramatic effects. This makes the pictures look more exciting, lively and appealing.
More dynamic: The soft light gives you optimum control over the exposure. Lower contrasts help you to preserve details in both light and dark areas. This makes time-consuming post-processing of your images unnecessary for the most part.

How to use the "Golden Hour" for breathtaking shots

To exploit the full potential of the golden hour, there are a few things to bear in mind. The following tips will help you to take impressive pictures with natural light.

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Tip 1: Get the perfect moment

The "golden hour" only lasts a short time, which is why good planning is important. Check the times for sunrise and sunset. Get there in good time so as not to miss the perfect moment. It is best to familiarize yourself with the location beforehand so that you can take photos of specific motifs.

Tip 2: Choose the right location

When the sun is low, you won't automatically be able to take beautiful pictures everywhere. Open areas such as fields, beaches or parks are well suited for your shots as they do not block the sunlight. In a city, on the other hand, buildings are more likely to block the light.

Tip 3: Use backlighting

An effective trick for the "golden hour" is to work with backlighting. Position the subject so that the sun is behind it. This creates a beautiful silhouette and a soft rim of light known as "rim light". To achieve a balanced exposure, use exposure compensation or a fill flash if necessary.

Tip 4: Use reflectors

The soft light of the golden hour is often naturally perfect, but sometimes you need to brighten certain areas. A reflector can help to direct the light onto the face or other important parts of the image. This will help you avoid unwanted shadows and create even lighting in your shot.

Stay creative - and get the best out of your photos

Golden Hour photography offers many opportunities to take creative and unique pictures. Maintain your inventiveness and keep trying out new things. Use the incident light of the low sun to produce creative plays of light and lens flares. When the sun's rays fall on the lens at a certain angle, rainbow colors or circles of light appear across the image. Work with this deliberately to make your photos particularly atmospheric.

Another great idea is to capture movements in the picture at "golden hour". This could be waves lapping against the shore or leaves blowing in the wind. The soft lighting gives such scenes a real poetic quality. Simply set a slower shutter speed to gently depict movement in the image. However, use a tripod for such pictures to avoid blurring due to camera shake. The "Golden Hour" is also a real gift for portrait photographers. The warm light creates soft shadows and an even skin tone. Make sure that your model receives the sunlight from the side or at an angle from behind. This will give you the best results.

One thing is certain: The "Golden Hour" is a gift from nature for every photographer to take advantage of. With its warm, soft light and long shadows, it offers ideal conditions for atmospheric and aesthetic shots. No matter whether you are photographing landscapes, portraits or creative silhouettes: The "golden hour" gives your pictures a special atmosphere that is difficult to imitate with artificial light. So use the "Golden Hour" to capture unforgettable moments in a natural ambience.