What is golden hour?
Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low in the sky. Its light travels through more of the atmosphere, which scatters blue wavelengths and leaves warm, soft, directional light. Shadows are long, skin tones glow and textures stand out. That's why it's the favorite time for portraits, weddings, landscapes and cinematic exteriors.
Despite the name, it's rarely exactly an hour. This calculator defines golden hour as the time the sun is between 6° above and 4° below the horizon, a common photographic definition. The "Evening golden hour" line shows the part before sunset, when direct sunlight is available.
Golden hour vs blue hour
| Sun position | Light | Good for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden hour | 6° above to 4° below the horizon | Warm, soft, directional, long shadows | Portraits, backlit hair, landscapes, flare |
| Blue hour | 4° to 6° below the horizon | Cool, even, shadowless, deep blue sky | Cityscapes, architecture, lit windows, moody scenes |
In the evening, blue hour follows golden hour. In the morning it comes first. City lights and the sky are roughly balanced in blue hour, which makes it ideal for skylines without blown-out windows.
How to plan a shoot with the sun path
- Pick the location and date. Choose a city, enter coordinates (right-click a spot in most map apps to copy them), or use your current location while scouting.
- Read the key times on the right. Arrive at least 30 minutes before golden hour starts to set up.
- Drag the slider to any time. The sun direction tells you where the light comes from: an azimuth of 270° means due west. Position your subject so the sun is behind them for rim light, or to the side for texture.
- Check the shadow length. At 10° altitude, shadows are about 5.7 times an object's height. At 30°, they're about 1.7 times.
Scouting tip: hills, buildings and tree lines hide the sun before the calculated sunset. If your western horizon is blocked, the usable golden light may end 15–30 minutes early.
Why golden hour length changes with place and season
Near the equator the sun rises and sets almost vertically, so it passes through the golden-hour band quickly. Golden hour can be as short as about 40 minutes. At higher latitudes the sun's path is shallower and the same 10° band takes far longer to cross. In northern Europe in summer, golden light can last for hours, and above the Arctic Circle the sun may not set at all.
Seasons matter too. Around the solstices, golden hour lasts longer at mid and high latitudes than around the equinoxes. Try the same city in March and June to see the difference.
How the times are calculated
Sun positions use standard astronomical formulas: the sun's ecliptic longitude and declination for the date, the sidereal time at your longitude, and the resulting altitude and azimuth. Sunrise and sunset use the conventional −0.833° altitude, which accounts for atmospheric refraction and the size of the sun's disk. Results typically agree with official almanac times to within a minute or two at sea level.
Elevation, terrain and unusual atmospheric conditions can shift what you actually see by a few minutes. Times are shown in the UTC offset you enter, which listed cities set automatically, including daylight saving time.
Frequently asked questions
What time is golden hour today?
It depends on where you are. Choose your city or tap “Use my current location” above. On a typical mid-latitude day, evening golden hour starts roughly 30–60 minutes before sunset.
How long does golden hour last?
From about 40 minutes near the equator to several hours at high latitudes in summer. At mid-latitudes, expect roughly 45–75 minutes of golden light, including the time after sunset.
Is golden hour before or after sunset?
Mostly before. Evening golden hour begins when the sun drops below 6° and continues just past sunset, until the sun is about 4° below the horizon. Blue hour follows.
What does sun azimuth mean?
Azimuth is the sun’s compass direction: 0° is north, 90° east, 180° south and 270° west. Combined with altitude (height above the horizon), it tells you exactly where the light comes from.
Does cloud cover affect golden hour?
The timing doesn’t change, but the look does. Thin, high clouds often make sunsets spectacular, while a thick bank on the horizon can block the low sun entirely.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026. Calculations are estimates. Sun times can vary slightly with terrain, elevation and atmospheric conditions. Found a mistake? Tell us.