Magic Hour
The magic hour concept has nothing to do with paranormal phenomena or fairy tales. In fact, it is a term used by photographers and filmmakers to refer to two special moments of the day: a brief moment before dawn and when the sun sets before nightfall. Therefore, strictly speaking, there are two magical hours in reality are not two exact hours as its duration is less than 60 minutes.
Why is it important for photographers and filmmakers?
During this short period of time, lighting conditions are ideal for these professionals. The light characteristics allow you to capture images with a golden hue and a particular intensity not found at other times of the day. In this sense, the magic hour (also called the golden hour) is ideal for finding images outdoors or in urban settings. Experts say that red tones are not suitable for images, as they are transformed into brown by the light effect. Magic Hour
The images collected in the magic hour are suggestive because they convey subtle sensations and ideas: a melancholy atmosphere , a certain splendor, a touch of affection, a peculiar beauty , as well as the vision of time as something fleeting. And all this accompanied by an implicit and mysterious idea: the presence of silence. These components turn the magic hour into a fascinating temporal dimension that allows it to suggest strong emotions to the observer.
The best time to take photos
Precisely, the magic hour is an expression that is used in the world of photography to designate the time of day , which consists of only a few minutes, which elapse between sunset and total darkness at night. According to many experts on the study of social classes stands out. This topic involves many aspects and can be understood from different angles; therefore, it is the subject, it is the best time to take photos .
The natural phenomenon that corresponds to this space of time is called twilight . Twilight is the clarity that exists from daylight until sunrise, and from when it sets until nightfall.
It is said to run from half an hour before the sun sets on the horizon to half an hour after. Of course, its duration varies depending on the geographical location and the time of year in which you are.
A clear example of the variability of the magic hour concept is illustrated with the places with the most and least sunlight in the world. Yuma , a state in Arizona, enjoys 11 hours of sunshine a day in winter and up to 13 in summer. The city of Aswan , located in Egypt, is the sunniest on earth, since the sun illuminates the population for approximately 10.6 hours a day and about 3,863 hours a year.
Referring to the other extreme, Rjukan , a town in Norway, spent from September to March without seeing sunlight because it is surrounded by mountains that do not let light through. Such was the desperation of the people that in 2013 they installed heliostat mirrors that rotate on an axis, are oriented to the sun and now reflect its rays. You imagine?
Barrow , a city in Alaska, can go up to two months without seeing sunlight. Other popular cities such as London (United Kingdom), Cologne (Germany), Murmansk (Russia) or Kiruna (Sweden), enjoy sunlight on average between 35 and 60 days a year .
Returning to the period known as magic hour, it is worth mentioning that the sun lights up the sky in different colors that are constantly changing and in combinations that are never exactly repeated, turning this phenomenon into something very special and unique . This time is repeated at both sunrise and sunset .
The magic hour includes moments that represent the beginning of natural activity or the beginning of rest for many natural resources by man. In fact, in these areas, not only species in ecosystems and are accompanied by nuances that cannot be admired in broad daylight or in total darkness at night.
Apart from the golden one, the other concept related to this phenomenon is the blue hour . This is the one that follows the golden hour but the period of time that passes from one to the other is too fast. Although their names indicate that they are 60-minute periods of time, neither of them has that duration, since magic hour is the one that encompasses both .
blue magic hour
This moment is known to be the indicator that sets the tone for big cities to turn on their lights . It is possible to visualize a unique combination between natural and artificial light , resulting in the perfect setting for urban photography artists . The dominant color temperature at this stage is classified as cold , that is, blue tones predominate .
When it comes to natural landscape photography, the featured images are those that capture the transition between the golden hour and the blue hour . The moon can also be a reason to photograph this moment, just before night falls.
To achieve the best lighting and quality in your photographs, try to use a tripod to lengthen the exposure more and not have to use high ISOS (sensor sensitivity when capturing light).
golden magic hour
The golden hour is frequently used for landscape and portrait photography . The natural contrast that is created with this type of light is very attractive to the eye because it gives an air of serenity and warmth . For the filling of this light you can use golden bouncers and you can also play using the backlight and the silhouettes creatively.
Contrary to the blue magic hour, in the golden one are the warm tones due to the color temperature of the light.
Remember that if you expose the illuminated area , you will get highly saturated backgrounds that show the usual silhouettes of the objects they include. Thus, you can seek to create a greater impact on your audience or simply on your photography.
If, on the contrary, you expose the dark areas , you will notice that you lose a bit of saturation in the parts with light and you will surely create an overexposure, but if you are photographing a person it may seem that they are flooded with light.
Some extra elements that this golden magic hour offers us are the famous flares or flashes, which are produced when the sun’s rays filter into the lens of your photo, as in the photo of the palm trees above.
Recommendations for taking photos at magic hour
So that you learn to take the best photos and get the most out of this time of day , we leave you with these technical recommendations from the experts.
- Use a remote shutter release or timer.
- Use, if within your reach, a tripod.
- Learn how to use manual control of your camera or device.
- Set the ISO to a low level to ensure the sharpness of your photos.
- Shoot using RAW function instead of jpg and then process the photo so you get the best image.
If you plan to take photos at Magic Hour , research the sunrise and sunset times in advance so you can arrive early, prepare, and capture the phenomenon early on. It will also help you to know the east-west orientation of the place where you are, to decide if it is more convenient for you to use sunset or sunrise for your session.
Another interesting element that you can capture during this hour is the movement of the clouds using long exposure photography and discovering the interesting images that can result.
One of the key aspects that you will also have to consider if you use a professional camera for your photos is the white balance . If you have your camera set to the “Auto” option , it will try to interpret the scene to remove the dominant colors. Therefore, it is better to have it in manual mode .
If you use “flash” mode , the camera will no longer remove color casts. If you want to focus on warm tones in the golden hour, set your temperature to cool tones, with the “shade” mode . On the other hand, if you want to enhance the cool tones of the blue hour, set a warm color temperature, with options like “tungsten” or “fluorescent” .
If you do not have a professional camera and you only use your mobile device to take pictures in your day to day or on a trip or tour, you can let the Artificial Intelligence of your cell phone work for you. Explore all the options your phone camera has to offer and be amazed by the results that would look like professional photos.
If you want to improve your self-portrait technique with your cell phone, take a look at this free guide that we leave you with the best tips.
The magic hour has been used for years by painters, photographers and filmmakers to make works out of the ordinary , reaching special and unseen tones. For a reason everyone takes out their smartphones at sunset to try to capture the most beautiful skies and landscapes.
Whether you dedicate yourself to photography or you are simply an amateur who wants to have the best photos, do not lose sight of the information that we provide you to take advantage of the magic hour in your following sessions.
