Golden hour and blue hour are the two jewels of twilight, but they're not the same and don't serve the same purpose. The key to telling them apart comes down to one variable: the sun's height relative to the horizon.
The difference in one table
| Golden hour | Blue hour | |
|---|---|---|
| Sun height | 0° to +6° | −4° to −6° |
| Light colour | Warm, golden | Cool, deep blue |
| Shadows | Long and defined | Diffuse, almost none |
| Sun visible | Yes, low in the sky | No, already below horizon |
| Ideal for | Portraits, warm landscape | Urban with lights, cool moods |
What golden hour is
With the sun between 0° and 6° above the horizon, light travels through more atmosphere, the blue scatters away and warm tones dominate. There's direct sun, long shadows and very flattering natural modelling. It's the classic "magic hour" light. We cover it in detail in the guide to golden hour for cinematographers.
What blue hour is
When the sun drops between 4° and 6° below the horizon, there's no longer direct sun, but the sky is still lit by scattered light. The result is a deep, even blue, with no hard shadows. The great advantage of blue hour is balance: the sky's light matches the intensity of artificial lights (street lamps, shop windows, windows), letting you expose the sky and the city at once without anything blowing out or crushing to black.
Order matters: morning and evening are mirrors
The phases follow in reverse order depending on the time of day:
- Sunrise: blue hour → sunrise → day.
- Sunset: day → golden hour → blue hour → night.
This has a practical consequence: in the evening you get golden and blue hour back to back, so you can plan a block of warm shots followed by a blue block with barely moving the set.
When to choose each one
Choose golden hour if…
- You want warm, flattering light for faces or skin.
- You want long, directional shadows on landscape or architecture.
- You need the sun visible in frame (backlight, flares).
Choose blue hour if…
- You're shooting a city with artificial lights on.
- You want a cool, nocturnal or melancholic mood with a still-readable sky.
- You need to balance a lit interior with the exterior through the window.
Both depend on the sky
Just like golden hour, blue hour can be ruined by a badly placed cloud bank or saved by some cirrus that tints the sky. Knowing the exact time is only half of it; the other half is the cloud-cover forecast for that point and that window.
Calculate golden hour and blue hour for your location
Weather Studio gives you sunrise, golden hour, blue hour and sunset for the exact coordinates of your shoot, alongside the hour-by-hour cloud forecast. 14 days free, no card.
Start free trialFrequently asked questions
What is blue hour?
It's the period with the sun between 4° and 6° below the horizon: deep, even blue sky, cool soft light with no hard shadows. It happens before sunrise and after sunset, and lasts 20 to 40 minutes depending on latitude and season.
How long does blue hour last?
Between 20 and 40 minutes on average: shorter near the equator, longer at high latitudes. It changes every day with the date and latitude, so it's worth calculating for the specific location.
When should you shoot in blue hour instead of golden hour?
Blue hour is ideal for urban shots with lights on, interiors with a window view, cool moods and deep blue skies. Golden hour works best for warm light, portraits with natural modelling and landscapes with long shadows.
Keep reading: Golden Hour for Cinematographers · Weather for film shoots: the complete guide.