π Golden Hour Calculator
Find the perfect photography light for any location and date.
Photography Times
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your latitude and longitude, or click "Get Current Location" if you're on a mobile device or in a browser that supports geolocation. Select the date you plan to shoot, then press Calculate. The result shows morning and evening golden hour windows, blue hour windows, exact sunrise and sunset times, and solar noon for your location and date.
Get your coordinates. Google Maps: right-click any location and the first item in the popup is the coordinates. Copy them here. GPS precision is not required; a city center coordinate is accurate enough.
Set your shooting date. Check the golden hour window for that day β it changes significantly with seasons. Winter days near the poles can have golden hour lasting hours; near the equator it's often under 30 minutes.
Note the blue hour windows. These occur just before the morning golden hour and just after the evening golden hour. The sky turns a deep, saturated blue with beautiful soft ambient light β ideal for cityscapes with lit buildings.
Plan to arrive early. Being on location at least 20 minutes before golden hour starts means you have time to set up, check compositions, and be ready when the light is best β not still walking from the car.
Solar Elevation and Light Quality
The sun's angle above the horizon determines light quality. When it's below 6 degrees, the light travels through far more atmosphere, which scatters blue wavelengths and lets warm reds and oranges reach the ground. Shadows become very long and directional. Between 6 and 12 degrees below the horizon, the sky still glows with ambient blue light, but there are no harsh shadows at all. This is why overcast blue hour shots of cities look so balanced and calm.
Real-World Examples
When You Need This
Any outdoor shoot benefits from knowing the golden hour window in advance. Portrait photographers love it because the warm, directional light is naturally flattering without needing reflectors or flash. If you're photographing a couple at a beach, arriving 15 minutes before golden hour and staying through it gives you a naturally lit session that looks far more polished than anything shot at midday. The light does the work for you.
Architecture and real estate photographers use the blue hour to shoot exteriors. At that time, the interior lights of a building are on, the sky has a deep blue tone, and there are no harsh shadows from the sun. The exposure balance between interior light and exterior sky is almost perfect for 30 to 60 seconds around the start of blue hour. Missing it by even 10 minutes means the sky turns black and the interior lights blow out. Knowing the exact window for your location saves the shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is golden hour?
Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when daylight is redder and softer than at noon. It typically lasts 20β60 minutes. The light is warm, directional, and flattering for photography.
What is blue hour?
Blue hour occurs just before sunrise and just after sunset when the sky has a deep blue hue. The sun is below the horizon but the sky is still illuminated. It provides even, diffused light and saturated blue tones.
How long does golden hour last?
Golden hour duration varies by season and latitude. Near the equator it may be 20β30 minutes. Near the poles in summer, it can last hours. The calculator estimates based on solar elevation angles.
What are civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight?
Civil twilight: sun 0β6Β° below horizon (bright enough to work outdoors). Nautical: 6β12Β° (horizon barely visible). Astronomical: 12β18Β° (sky completely dark for most observations).
How accurate is this calculator?
This calculator uses the NOAA solar algorithm adapted for JavaScript, accurate to within a minute for most latitudes. It requires your latitude and longitude which you can get from Google Maps.