Even when you are new to photography, you definitely have seen photos that are shot during golden hour. Those photos have a magical touch as the sun is in a lower position in the sky.
So, what sets apart the golden hour light from natural light during other times of the day? Here are some attributes of golden hour light:
- Warm Tone: As the sun stays at a low angle during sunrise and sunset, it creates an orange glow. So, when it falls on your subject, it projects a happy and calming glow. Therefore, portraits photos look magical during this time.
- Soft Light: I have seen that particularly the light during the golden hour is soft, which is perfect for good portraits.
- Easy Directional Lighting: During golden hour, the sun stays low in the sky. It’s the ideal time to utilize the lighting in your photograph. You can decide whether you want it as a sidelight, backlight, or front light. Also, using a reflector, you can add more to your photograph.
Now you know all the advantages come with this short frame of time, the golden hour. So, now I am going to share some tips that I am practicing now to master some shots. But I know that I have to go through a great amount of practice:
- Everyday Sights Magical
- When the golden light falls on any object or site, it creates an enigmatic picture. And it is the perfect time to capture the beauty in your photos with your subject.
- During the golden hour, any boring subject can look amazing, to your surprise. Therefore, be it on a lonely road, around grassland, etc., you will get magical photos.
- The gold tints with soft lights make each photo dramatic even when it is a not-so-dramatic location. So, don’t worry about where you are; think about how you want to capture your shots in the golden hour.
- Early Golden Hour Means Fewer Crowds
- Golden hour is the best time to take photos of landscapes. But unlike the time before sunset, the best time to shoot a landscape is during sunrise. At that time, landscapes remain empty.
- During the early hour, you get to witness the tranquility of a location and get a great deal of privacy to enjoy the beauty of the place under the golden light.
- Great For Taking Silhouettes
- Silhouettes photos look best when the light in the background blacked out the subject. It keeps the background exposed while we can see only the silhouettes of the subject.
- In order to get nice silhouettes, you must set the exposure settings correctly. It means the background will receive optimal exposure while the subject remains underexposed.
- Use It As Natural Backlight
- If you love shooting subjects with a backlight on, then a golden hour is the time for you. The angle of the sunlight is so perfect it opens up creative possibilities.
- Especially if your subject or object is a little bit translucent, the dramatic effect of the lighting will be magical. The non-transparent background will remain darker while the light transparent part has a strong light intensity.
- So, you should definitely try to capture your subject during golden hour using feathers, leaves, and flowers. It will create such a dramatic effect on your photos that you will be in awe.
- Use It As Creative Side Light
- We know that golden hour light hits the subject from one side. It means the veil of shadow casts on the other side of your subject. This is the reason for it to call split lighting.
- Unlike the shadows during the afternoon, these soft shadows add depth and texture to your portrait. So, your photos usually have a bit of drama in a natural setting.
- Add Positive Energy To Your Photos
- Warm colors always bring a dash of positivity than cold tones. And it is not alien in photography either. In photography, colors are strong tools for composition which convey mood.
- So, when it comes to golden hour, we mainly witness red, orange, and yellow tones. These are warm colors. And we know how warm colors play a significant role in evoking positive feelings.
- Therefore, when we take photos during golden hours, those photos exude optimism, happiness, and excitement. The magical hour makes sure that your photography looks magical with the touch of golden light.
- Avoid Any Unwanted Shadows
- Okay, golden hour is one of the best times for a photoshoot in the presence of natural light. But you must know how to direct the light effectively for the shots.
- During golden hour, the light is cast at a low angle, illuminating your subject thoroughly. If you are taking portraits of your models, then their faces will be beautifully lit.
- However, in order to get the perfect shot during golden hours, you have to deal with other types of shadows. It will help you save tons of time on post-processing for sure.
- Camera Settings For Golden Hour
- When you are shooting during golden hour, you must choose the manual mode for utilizing backlighting. It will help you adjust the exposure with ease.
- You can also tune into spot-metering; so that you can select the focal point to expose a part of the scene. If you are not using the spot-metering during golden hour, you can get the photo with the dark silhouette.
- While shooting in the golden hour, you must understand that the exact lighting and the subject determine the camera settings. In case you are taking portrait shots, you will need a low aperture, like between f/1.8 to f/2.8.
Final Thoughts
Golden hour can be an advantage for new photographers as it offers the best light setting. So, instead of focusing on finding the light source, you get to experiment with the natural golden tint of the hour.
If you are new to photography, don’t let go of the opportunity to shoot during golden hour. Have fun with silhouettes photography, adding a positive tone to your images.
For more tips and tricks on mastering golden hour photography, check out this insightful video, by Sean Kitching.
