SHOOT THE GOLDEN HOURS

DISCOVER HOW TO GET MORE FROM THE BEST LIGHT OF THE DAY, FOR DRAMATIC AND DYNAMIC IMAGES

An in-depth guide to successful shooting during the golden hours, where the natural light is at its best and incredible landscape imagery can be captured

SUNRISE AND SUNSET ARE FAMOUSLY POPULAR TIMES FOR LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS TO MAKE IMAGES. THE LOWER POSITION OF THE SUN GIVES THE LIGHT A DIRECTION, WHICH ACCENTUATES SHAPE AND FORM FAR MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN MIDDAY SUNLIGHT. THIS OBLIQUE ANGLE ALSO MEANS THAT THE LIGHT HAS MORE ATMOSPHERE TO TRAVEL THROUGH, RESULTING IN GREATER REFRACTION AND THE CHARACTERISTIC SOFT, WARM TONES ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY MORNING OR

LATE EVENING. FURTHERMORE, THE CHANGEABLE TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ALSO CREATE TELLTALE CONDITIONS, SUCH AS MIST, WHICH ADD DRAMA AND INTRIGUE, WHILE WIND STRENGTH TENDS TO BE LOWER, MAKING LONG EXPOSURES EASIER. SINCE THE MAJORITY OF PROFESSIONAL IMAGES ARE TAKEN DURING THESE WINDOWS OF TIME, IT IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO KNOW HOW BEST TO EXPLOIT THE FAVOURABLE ATTRIBUTES.

THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOLDEN HOURS HOWEVER. THESE RELATE TO EXPOSURE, COLOUR AND ENVIRONMENT, ALL OF WHICH CAN COMPOUND EACH OTHER TO CREATE A STRESSFUL PHOTOSHOOT OR, AT WORST, A FAILED IMAGE. BEYOND THESE, THE POPULARITY OF DAWN AND DUSK MEANS THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR IMAGES ARE CAPTURED BY PHOTOGRAPHERS AT THE SAME LOCATIONS EACH DAY, MAKING IT CHALLENGING TO PRODUCE ORIGINAL MATERIAL. IT IS ALSO EASY TO FALL INTO THE TRAP OF ADOPTING A SLOPPY CREATIVE APPROACH, FOCUSING ON THE LIGHTING ALONE TO THE DETRIMENT OF INTRIGUING OR BALANCED COMPOSITIONS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE

PROPERTIES OF THE GOLDEN HOURS ARE USED TO AUGMENT THE DETAIL, COLOUR AND TONE OF A SUITABLE SUBJECT, RATHER THAN BECOMING

THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE FILE’S CREATION.

THE GOLDEN HOURS HAVE MUCH TO OFFER PHOTOGRAPHERS AND SHOULD BE SEEN AS A LIGHTING TOOL, NOT A SUBJECT IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.

OVER THE FOLLOWING PAGES WE WILL COVER

TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES – TO LEARN HOW BEST TO OVERCOME THE MAIN DIFFICULTIES POSED BY STRONG, DIRECTIONAL LIGHTING, AND TO

EXPLORE METHODS OF USING THESE FEATURES TO GENERATE UNIQUE, CAPTIVATING IMAGES.