Blue Hour vs Golden Hour

Golden hour happens when the sun is low above the horizon and creates warm, directional light. Blue hour happens when the sun is below the horizon and the scene is lit by cooler twilight.

Use blue hour for cityscapes, architecture, water reflections, night transitions, and scenes with artificial lights. The blue sky can balance warm windows, street lights, and signs.

Use golden hour for portraits, landscapes, backlit scenes, and warm highlights. It usually gives more direct light than blue hour, so handheld shooting is easier.