Light Is the essence of photography, so it is worth spending some time understanding the different types of light we cycle through in 24 hours. Let's start with daytime!
Daytime
Occurs once the centre of the sun is above 6 degrees of elevation.
Golden Hour (Very popular with students and social!)
In many ways this is the most perfect time to capture portrait photographs outdoors as well as gorgeous landscape photographs. The sky goes from red to orange and yellow with golden tones. The light is very diffused and shadows are gentle and not harsh. Clouds help to increase the drama and interest of sunsets and sunrises and it's possible to capture silhouettes against a beautiful sky.
Blue Hour
The sun has set and the colors of sunset have mostly gone, but there is still light around. The sky is often a beautiful blue color and it's a great time to photograph nighttime as well as the moon and city lights.
Twilight
This is the Time both before sunrise and after sunset, when some light is available but when the sun cannot be seen.
Nightime
The period after twilight in the evening and before twilight in the morning when the sun is below -18 degrees of elevation. And you might have guessed....yes, there is a total absence of light.
An outline of the sun's position of each period is shown below -
Daytime (above 6°)
Golden hour (from 6° to -4°) (Including Sunset)
Blue hour (from -4° to -6°)
Evening twilights (from 0° to -18°)
Civil twilight (from 0° to -6°)
Nautical Twilight (from -6° to -12°)
Astronomical Twilight (from -12° to -18°)
Nighttime (below -18°)
Morning twilights (from -18° to 0°)
Astronomical Twilight (from -18° to -12°)
Nautical Twilight (from -12° to -6°)
Civil twilight (from -6° to 0°)
Blue hour (from -6° to -4°)
Golden hour (from -4° to 6°) (Including Sunrise)
Best of luck and as always, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions!
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