Explore 3D terrain, move through the day and see where the sun will be. Find a viewpoint, check nearby ridgelines and compare sunrise and sunset conditions.
Times use the selected location’s timezone. Weather ratings are experimental estimates, not a guarantee of sky color.
Golden hour is the stretch just after sunrise and just before sunset when the sun sits low on the horizon and its light travels through more atmosphere. The result is soft, warm, directional light with long gentle shadows — the most flattering natural light there is for portraits, real estate exteriors, product shots and landscapes. Its length changes with your latitude and the season, which is why a real calculator beats the “one hour” rule of thumb.
Blue hour is the short window before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is just below the horizon and the sky glows a deep, even blue. It's the secret behind twilight real estate photos with warm glowing windows, moody cityscapes, and clean architectural shots without harsh contrast.
Arrive 30 minutes before evening golden hour starts. Backlight your subject for glow, and keep shooting into blue hour for a soft editorial look.
Turn on every interior light, then shoot exteriors 10–25 minutes after sunset — peak blue hour — so the windows glow against the sky.
Low sun means texture: long shadows reveal terrain, waves and architecture. Golden hour is also when drone footage grades most cinematically.
Golden hour length depends on latitude, season and the definition used. This calculator uses sunrise to 6 degrees above the horizon in the morning, and 6 degrees down to sunset in the evening. Times are estimates for a level horizon.
No — evening golden hour starts before sunset, while the sun is still above the horizon. Blue hour comes after sunset. The best sessions use all three phases back to back.
Start with the morning or evening golden-hour window, then check cloud cover, wind and the direction of the sun. A lower sky-color rating can still mean good portrait light, especially with clear skies or soft overcast.
Sun times work worldwide for dates from 1900 to 2100. Weather-based ratings use National Weather Service forecasts for supported U.S. locations and upcoming dates only. Past dates and dates outside the weather forecast window show sun times without a sky rating.
Sunset Cliffs, Windansea Beach, the Coronado dunes and Crystal Pier are hard to beat. We keep a full ranked list — with parking and permit notes — on our San Diego Photo Spot Index.
Jump straight to a live calculator preset for your city — times, blue hour and local shooting tips included.