What is Golden Hour?
“Golden Hour” refers to that magical time shortly after sunrise or before sunset when the light is soft, warm, and bathes everything in a stunning golden glow. This time of day presents a fantastic opportunity for photographers to capture breathtaking images with a captivating and ethereal atmosphere. In this blog post, we’ll explore some essential tips to help you make the most of the golden hour and create stunning photographs.
Five TOP tips to Best Golden Hour Photography
- Timing is Everything: To capture the best golden hour photos, precise timing is crucial. Use a reliable weather app or website to determine the exact time of sunrise or sunset in your location. Plan ahead and arrive early to scout for potential shooting spots and observe how the light transforms the scene.
- Composition is Key: Consider the composition of your shot carefully. Look for interesting foreground elements that can add depth and visual interest to your image. Incorporating leading lines, such as a path or a river, can guide the viewer’s eye and create a sense of depth in the photo.
3. Make Use of Backlighting: The soft, warm light during the golden hour creates a beautiful backlighting effect. Use this to your advantage by positioning your subject between the camera and the light source. This technique can add a halo effect, create a sense of depth, and bring out delicate details in your subject.
4. Experiment with Exposure: Golden hour lighting can be challenging to expose correctly due to the stark contrast between the bright sky and the darker foreground. Consider using exposure bracketing or graduated neutral density filters to balance the exposure and retain details in both the highlights and shadows. Shoot in RAW format to give yourself more flexibility during post-processing.
