Photography Light Calculator
Use this photography light calculator to plan the best natural light around sunrise and sunset. Enter coordinates manually, use your browser location, or try an example city to calculate blue hour, golden hour, and magic hour windows for any date.
Calculate Light Times
Example cities
Light Times for May 22, 2026
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What is Blue Hour?
Blue hour refers to the period before sunrise or after sunset when the sun is below the horizon and the sky takes on a deep blue hue. It is especially useful for cityscapes, waterfronts, architecture, and landscapes with artificial lights.
Golden hour creates warmer low-angle light, while magic hour is a broader creative window that can include both blue hour and golden hour. Use all three windows to plan a complete sunrise or sunset shoot.
Photography Light Tips
- Use a tripod for blue hour and night-transition exposures.
- Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early so you can compose before the best light peaks.
- Use golden hour for warm portraits and blue hour for city lights or reflections.
- Try the same composition through magic hour to capture both warm and cool versions.