Golden hour and light for photographers in London
The evening golden hour will be clean and warm, good for outdoor portraits.
20°mostly clear, feels 17°, wind 16 km/h
Clean, warm light. The evening golden hour will be clean and warm, good for outdoor portraits.
| Window | Time | Cloud | Light |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue hour, morning | 06:29–06:42 | 100 % | Soft, diffused light |
| Golden hour, morning | 06:42–07:47 | 100 % | Soft, diffused light |
| Golden hour, evening | 17:53–18:58 | 15 % | Clean, warm light |
| Blue hour, evening | 18:58–19:11 | 15 % | Clean, warm light |
A great day for an outdoor shoot.
7-day shoot planner
Best day for an outdoor shoot: Sunday 4 October (10/10).
| Day | Morning golden | Evening golden | Evening light | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 2 October | 06:42–07:47 | 17:53–18:58 | Clean, warm light | 9/10 |
| Saturday 3 October | 06:44–07:48 | 17:51–18:56 | Flat grey light | 9/10 |
| Sunday 4 October | 06:45–07:50 | 17:49–18:54 | Colourful sky | 10/10 |
| Monday 5 October | 06:47–07:52 | 17:46–18:51 | Clean, warm light | 10/10 |
| Tuesday 6 October | 06:48–07:54 | 17:44–18:49 | Rain | 7/10 |
| Wednesday 7 October | 06:50–07:55 | 17:42–18:47 | Clean, warm light | 7/10 |
| Thursday 8 October | 06:52–07:57 | 17:39–18:45 | Soft, diffused light | 9/10 |
How we calculate it
The golden hour is when the sun is between 4° below and 6° above the horizon: warm light, long soft shadows. The blue hour is when the sun is 6° to 4° below the horizon: a deep blue sky for city and evening portraits. Times come from the NOAA solar equations for each city; the light quality from the forecast of low, mid and high cloud at that time.
Frequently asked
01When is golden hour today?
Morning 06:42–07:47, Evening 17:53–18:58.
02Can I shoot on an overcast day?
Yes. An even cloud layer works like a huge softbox: soft light with no harsh shadows, flattering for portraits and skin. You just won't get golden-hour colour.