Golden Hour

The Golden Hour is not an hour. It is the period when the sun is about six degrees above the horizon — and how long that lasts depends on the latitude. In Hamburg in June, it can last over two hours, while at the equator, it's over in twenty minutes. Anyone who plans their shoot around "an hour" will lose half their shots.

Why the Light Looks Different

With the sun low in the sky, the light travels through much more atmosphere. The blue light scatters away, leaving red and yellow — the color temperature drops from around 5,600 K to 2,500 to 3,500 K. At the same time, the atmospheric layer acts as a giant diffuser: the sun stops being a point source, shadow edges become soft, and the ratio between light and shadow drops to values any sensor can handle.

On Set

• Light beforehand, not during. There's only time for two or three setups. If you start adjusting lights only when the light appears, you'll be shooting in the blue hour.
• Continuously adjust aperture. The light drops by two to three stops over the period. Otherwise, there will be a visible jump between the first and last clap.
• Backlight is the norm. The low-lying sun as an edge behind the actor, with the face lit by a reflector or bounce — that's the shot you get up for at 4:30 AM.
• Twice a day, and not the same. In the morning, the air is clearer and the light cooler; in the evening, dust hangs in the air, and the tone leans towards red. If you shoot a scene across both, it will be noticeable in the edit.

Distinction

The Blue Hour follows directly — the sun is below the horizon, the sky is still bright, and the light is cold and directionless. And Magic Hour is usually meant to be the same on set, but strictly speaking, it's the transition between the two.