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Blue Hour Photography Settings

Blue hour light is beautiful but dim, so camera settings matter. Start with a stable setup and adjust for the brightness of the sky and your subject.

A reliable starting point

Use a tripod, ISO 100 to 400, aperture around f/8 to f/11 for landscapes, and a shutter speed from 1 to 30 seconds. Use a timer or remote release to avoid camera shake.

White balance and focus

Daylight white balance often preserves the cool blue mood. Manual focus is helpful because autofocus can struggle as the light drops.

Exposure tips

Watch highlights from street lights and building windows. If they clip, lower exposure slightly and recover shadows in editing. Bracketing can help when the scene has bright artificial lights and a dark foreground.