Golden hour — that fleeting period just after sunrise or before sunset — is one of the most magical times to capture landscapes. The soft, warm light can turn an ordinary scene into something breathtaking. Colors become richer, shadows stretch beautifully across the frame, and textures pop in ways that midday light simply can’t deliver.
This guide is designed to help beginner and intermediate photographers make the most of golden hour. We’ll cover how to plan your shoot, which camera settings to use, and key composition techniques to elevate your landscape photography.
What Is Golden Hour and Why Does It Matter?
Golden hour refers to the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, although its duration can vary depending on your location and the time of year. During this time, the sun is low on the horizon, creating a diffused and warm light that flatters landscapes, people, and almost everything in between.
Compared to the harsh overhead light of midday, golden hour light is softer and more directional. It adds depth, enhances color saturation, and reduces contrast — all of which help you create more dynamic and emotional photos.
Whether you’re photographing mountains, forests, beaches, or rolling hills, golden hour can transform the mood of your shots. But to make the most of it, planning is essential.
How to Plan for a Golden Hour Landscape Shoot
Golden hour might be beautiful, but it doesn’t wait for anyone. Preparation is critical if you want to capture its full potential.
- Know the exact timing
Golden hour timing changes daily and varies based on your geographic location. Use apps like PhotoPills, Golden Hour One, or The Photographer’s Ephemeris to find accurate sunrise and sunset data and even visualize how the light will hit your location. - Scout your location in advance
Visit your chosen site ahead of time, ideally during the daytime. This gives you time to explore different vantage points, look for interesting foreground elements, and plan your compositions without the pressure of fading light. - Arrive early, stay late
Aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before golden hour begins. This gives you time to set up, adjust your camera, and anticipate how the light will evolve. Staying after sunset is also worthwhile, as twilight can produce cool, moody tones for a completely different aesthetic. - Pay attention to the weather
Clear skies often result in the most predictable golden hour light, but some clouds can add drama to the sky and reflect the warm tones of the setting sun. Fog and mist in the morning can also make for magical atmospheric effects.
Essential Camera Settings for Golden Hour Photography
Golden hour photography can be technically challenging because the light changes quickly. You’ll need to understand how to balance aperture, shutter speed, and ISO — the three components of the exposure triangle.
- Aperture (f-stop)
For landscapes, you typically want everything in focus, so use a smaller aperture (higher f-stop number), like f/8 to f/16. This increases depth of field, keeping both foreground and background elements sharp. However, if you’re shooting a scene where a specific subject is close to the camera and you want the background to blur softly, a wider aperture (like f/4 or f/5.6) can be useful. - Shutter Speed
During golden hour, light levels can be low, especially just before sunrise or after sunset. You might need slower shutter speeds — such as 1/30s or even longer. To avoid blur from camera shake, use a tripod. - If you’re photographing moving elements like waves, rivers, or tall grasses blowing in the wind, slower shutter speeds can create a sense of motion and atmosphere.
- ISO
Use the lowest ISO setting possible (usually ISO 100 or 200) to maintain image quality and reduce noise. If you need a faster shutter speed in low light, you can increase the ISO slightly, but be cautious not to go too high — especially on cameras with smaller sensors — to avoid grainy images. - White Balance
Shoot in RAW format so you can adjust white balance later. That said, setting your white balance to “Cloudy” or “Shade” can enhance the warm tones of golden hour straight out of the camera. - Focus
Use manual focus or a single autofocus point. Focus one-third into your scene or on a subject in the mid-ground to achieve optimal sharpness across the frame.
Composition Techniques to Enhance Your Golden Hour Shots
Golden hour is not just about warm light — it’s an opportunity to be creative with composition. Here are some field-tested techniques:
Incorporate foreground interest
Adding rocks, flowers, water, or other natural elements in the foreground adds depth and anchors your composition. It helps lead the viewer’s eye into the scene and adds scale and context.
Use leading lines
Look for natural or man-made lines in the landscape — paths, rivers, fences, or shadows — to guide the viewer’s gaze through the image and create a sense of movement.
Frame within a frame
Use trees, arches, or other elements to frame your main subject. This adds structure and can direct focus exactly where you want it.
Silhouettes and backlighting
Golden hour provides ideal conditions for silhouettes. Place your subject (like a tree, mountain, or person) between you and the sun. Meter for the bright sky, and the subject will go dark, creating a bold, graphic effect.
Reflections
Lakes, ponds, or wet sand can reflect the colors of the sky during golden hour. These reflections can add balance, symmetry, and vibrancy to your composition.
Shoot toward the sun and away from it
Many photographers shoot into the light to get that dramatic, warm glow. But don’t forget to turn around — sometimes, the best colors and soft side-light are happening behind you.
Bonus Tips to Elevate Your Golden Hour Landscape Photography
Use a tripod: Essential for sharp images at slow shutter speeds and for bracketing exposures.
Try exposure bracketing: Golden hour light can be high-contrast. Bracket your shots (one underexposed, one overexposed, and one balanced) to merge them later into a perfectly exposed image using HDR.
Use graduated ND filters: These filters help balance the exposure between a bright sky and darker foreground, keeping detail in both areas.
Work quickly and deliberately: The light changes fast. Know your camera well and be ready to adapt.
Review your histogram: Relying only on your LCD screen can be misleading in golden hour light. Use your histogram to avoid clipped highlights or shadows.
Real-World Example: Planning a Golden Hour Landscape Shot
Let’s say you want to photograph a lake with mountains in the background during sunset. You use PhotoPills to find out the sun will set at 6:42 PM and that it will be directly behind the mountains at that time.
You arrive at 6:00 PM, set up your tripod near the lake’s edge, and compose your shot to include some shoreline rocks in the foreground. You choose an aperture of f/11 for depth, set your ISO to 100, and adjust your shutter speed to 1/4 second to balance the exposure.
You take a few test shots, then notice the sky beginning to glow orange and pink. You capture reflections in the water, bracket a few exposures for safety, and wait as the sun dips behind the peaks. By 7:00 PM, the light is gone — but you leave knowing you’ve captured something special.
Final Thoughts
Golden hour is every landscape photographer’s secret weapon. It’s a time when nature looks its best and light becomes a powerful storytelling tool. By planning carefully, understanding your exposure settings, and using thoughtful composition techniques, you can consistently capture stunning landscapes that feel alive and immersive.
Even just one well-planned golden hour session can dramatically improve your confidence and your portfolio. So grab your camera, set your alarm for early morning or pack up for a sunset shoot — and experience the magic of golden hour for yourself.
