Golden hour photography.

The golden hour (also referred to as the magic hour) in photography is widely seen as the best time of day to shoot. For photographers in the UK, it generally lasts around an hour or less.

Overcast and shorter winter days can limit the magic hour. However, golden hour also happens twice a day. So if you miss it in the morning, there’s always the chance of shooting during the golden hour time in the evening. I like the GH in the Winter months when the sun rises about 07:30 – 08:00 which means I don’t have to get up really early like you would have to in Summer (04:00 I think it is at the moment!)

“What will happen ten minutes from now is going to be radically different than what happened ten minutes before.” 

Tina Tryforos

Golden hour in the UK is the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. This means it changes depending on the season and even location. There may be a few minutes difference for when the golden hour starts and ends across the UK.

Due to the sun’s low angle, its rays filter through a greater distance. This creates a colour temperature at the redder end of the spectrum, with longer shadows which can add an extra dimension to photos. The light is warm and soft, perfect for golden images of landscapes, nature etc. So, what are you waiting for – get out there with your camera!

“It’s hard to overexpose or underexpose parts of an image, like a subject’s face, because the light is very even and has a beautiful golden hue.” 

Jenn Byrne