Golden Hour – When It Is & How to Use It for Photos
Learn what the golden hour is, the science behind it, and get expert photography tips. See live countdowns for the next golden hour in cities worldwide.
Golden hour today in 12 cities
- Morning and evening, in local time – each city links to its page with the next days.
- New York: Morning 06:13–07:10 · Evening 16:08–17:05
- Los Angeles: Morning 06:00–06:51 · Evening 16:20–17:12
- Chicago: Morning 06:09–07:08 · Evening 15:59–16:57
- Houston: Morning 06:22–07:11 · Evening 16:58–17:46
- Miami: Morning 06:17–07:03 · Evening 17:04–17:51
- Seattle: Morning 06:39–07:45 · Evening 15:59–17:05
- Denver: Morning 06:15–07:11 · Evening 16:14–17:10
- Boston: Morning 06:04–07:03 · Evening 15:51–16:50
- Toronto: Morning 06:40–07:40 · Evening 16:21–17:21
- London: Morning 06:38–07:51 · Evening 15:35–16:48
- Manchester: Morning 06:52–08:09 · Evening 15:34–16:52
- Edinburgh: Morning 07:02–08:26 · Evening 15:25–16:48
What is Golden Hour?
Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon, casting a warm, diffused light. During this time, sunlight travels through more of Earth's atmosphere, filtering out harsh blue wavelengths and leaving behind soft amber, orange, and golden tones. The sun's elevation angle is typically between 0° and 6° above the horizon.
Unlike the harsh midday sun that creates strong shadows and washed-out highlights, golden hour light wraps around subjects gently, creating a three-dimensional quality that photographers and filmmakers prize above all other natural lighting conditions.
Rayleigh Scattering
When sunlight enters at a low angle, it passes through significantly more atmosphere. Shorter blue wavelengths scatter away, while longer red and orange wavelengths reach us directly — creating the characteristic warmth.
Shadow Length
Long, soft shadows add depth and dimension. The low sun angle creates dramatic leading lines and textures that are invisible during other times of day.
Backlit portrait during golden hour — warm rim lighting creates a dreamy atmosphere
Shoot Backlit
Position your subject between the camera and the sun for dramatic rim lighting, silhouettes, and dreamy lens flare.
Use a Wide Aperture
f/1.4 to f/2.8 will create beautiful bokeh with the warm background light, making portraits especially stunning.
Expose for the Sky
Slightly underexpose to preserve the rich warm tones in the sky. You can always brighten shadows in post-processing.
Arrive Early
Golden hour is fleeting — typically 20–40 minutes. Set up your composition before the light arrives and be ready to adapt quickly.
Watch the Clouds
Light cloud cover can actually enhance golden hour by diffusing and spreading the warm light across the entire sky.
Use a Reflector
A gold or white reflector can bounce warm light back into shadows, especially for portrait photography.
How Long Does It Last?
The duration of golden hour varies dramatically depending on your latitude and the time of year. Near the equator, golden hour can be as short as 20 minutes due to the sun's steep trajectory. In contrast, at higher latitudes during summer, the sun grazes the horizon at a shallow angle, stretching golden hour to over an hour — sometimes even longer near the Arctic or Antarctic circles.
Use the tracker below to find exactly when golden hour begins in cities around the world, so you never miss the perfect light.
Where the light comes from
Tap a day to open it above. Moon icon: a bright moon stands in the sky during the evening window.
Today in other cities
The farther from the equator, the flatter the sun's path – and the longer the light lasts.
How is the golden hour defined? SunnyTracker counts the time in which the sun is between 4° below and 6° above the horizon – the golden hour begins where the blue hour ends. The light is warm and soft because it passes through a lot of atmosphere.
Does the weather matter? The times are astronomical and assume a clear horizon. Thin clouds often make the golden hour even more colourful; a thick bank of cloud at the horizon can end it early.
How is the blue hour defined? SunnyTracker counts the time in which the sun is between 4° and 6° below the horizon – the part of twilight in which the sky is a deep, even blue.
Do I need a tripod? Usually yes: exposures of one to several seconds are common. Start around ISO 100–400 and f/8 and lengthen the exposure as the light fades.