Photographers know how important it is to understand the influence of light upon their subjects. Ever wonder how they capture those beautiful images that seem to glow with their own light? More often than not they were taken during the“ golden hour”— the magical moments just after sunrise and just before sunset. Their duration depends on many things— time of year, location, weather— all of which combine to determine the angle of the sun, which in turn determines the quality of the light. Keep in mind that the“ hour” is usually much less!
During golden hour the sun is very low, which means all of the elements of a scene will be uniformly lit. The light is diffused by the distance it must travel through the atmosphere and is influenced towards a more yellow tone, hence the glow. Reflections are especially beautiful during this time of day, and portraits are much more complimentary for your subjects.
A second favorite time for photography is the“ blue hour”— the period of time before sunrise and after sunset each day during which the light has a particularly blue hue. It’ s a time when the light is soft enough to emphasize the dark of the scene without an additional, artificial light source. Again, the“ hour” is usually less and depends on factors like season and location.
Unlike golden hour, blue-hour photography often looks so dark to the naked eye one might think it is too dark to shoot. Because there is so little light, a tripod is a photographer’ s best friend when shooting during blue hour. Matrix shooting using +/- can also help to assure the best results.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when shooting either golden- or blue-hour photos is to be prepared. The shooting time is short so the likelihood that you will find a place, get set up, fine-tune your camera adjustments, and be ready for the perfect shot is nearly zero.
Instead, scout your location in advance, preferably using an application like Photographers Ephemeris to determine the sun’ s angle and the timing of sunrise or sunset. Compose your shot ahead of time by taking test shots before the light fades( or increases). Learn how to use your histogram to check for lost pixels and adjust accordingly.
Most importantly, don’ t give up! Golden- and bluehour shooting has its challenges, but practice makes perfect and one thing is certain— tomorrow will bring another sunrise and sunset for those who persevere. NK
WINTER / SPRING 2017 • VOLUME 37
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