Photographers’ Favorite Time of the Day for Shooting

Yes, you’ve heard of the Golden Hour, but do you know about the Blue Hour? Or have you ever looked at the quality of the sun after it’s at its highest point during the middle of the day? While everyone will tell you to go shooting only during the golden hour, you shouldn’t limit yourself to only these times. You can definitely shoot at any time of day and still achieve good quality images. You simply have to learn how to distinguish the qualities of the lighting that you get during different times of the day and use the right camera settings or photography tools to help you achieve the best photos possible. We’ve listed the different times of day, and how you can use the lighting to your advantage when shooting.

Golden Hour

The golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset. Many photographers see it as the best time to take photos because it is when the sun gives off a softer, reddish-pink light that effortlessly makes for vivid and artistic images that are perfect for portraits, landscapes, and wedding photography. During the golden hour, you get your desired effect, as well as a gorgeous wash of color, with little or no help from any additional gear. 

High Noon

Direct, downward lighting produced during midday or high noon creates photos that look flat. The effect of harsh lighting in photos is due to the fact that the light is undiffused, which often discourages many photographers from shooting outdoors during this time. However, this can actually be a good time for shooting subjects with reflective surfaces like bodies of water or glass. When shooting at noon, light penetrates deeper into the water, making it appear more transparent.

Mid-Morning and Afternoon

This time of the day is best for general photography because the sky casts a slightly more yellow and subtle light that enhances skin tones and eliminates harsh shadows. It’s perfect for taking photos of all sorts of subjects and landscapes with your DSLR because the lighting will be more even.  

Blue Hour

The blue hour is the period before sunrise and after sunset, also known as dawn, dusk, or twilight. During this time, the lighting casts a cool pastel undertone keeping the contrast low. The direction of the sun’s rays comes from below the horizon so lighting is softer. The blue hour occurs only for a few minutes. So you have to be quick when capturing photos during this period. Images occasionally appear a little too blue, so you can use the tungsten white balance feature on your Canon EOS 6D Mark 11 Camera from Beachcamera.com to neutralize this. 

Nighttime

Shooting at night presents a different kind of challenge for a photographer, since sunlight is completely absent during this time. But thanks to customizable camera settings on your Sony a7III Full Frame Mirrorless Camera from Beachcamera.com, you can capture beautiful and unique nighttime photos of the city and starry skies. All by taking long-exposure shots.