What Causes the ‘Golden Hour’ in Photography?

The sun gets lower in the sky, and the light becomes softer and warmer. Imagine the sun as a big glowing ball, when it's up high, the light is bright and cold, like a flashlight shining down on you. But when it goes low, like near the horizon at sunrise or sunset, it travels through more air, making the light look golden and gentle.

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Examples

  1. When you walk outside in the morning and see the sky glowing orange, that's the golden hour working its magic.
  2. The sunset looks extra beautiful because the golden hour makes everything look like it’s painted with warm colors.
  3. Your portrait looks softer and more flattering under a golden hour light, just like when your mom took photos of you at the beach.

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Categories: Art · Photography· Lighting· Golden Hour