Golden hour
黄金时刻 · 魔术时刻 · 日落光 · magic hour
What it is
Low warm golden sunlight just after sunrise or before sunset, with long shadows.
When to use it
Nostalgia, romance, hope, farewells.
When not to
Neutral, cold or oppressive scenes.
Often confused with
- Blue hour
Blue hour comes after sunset: cool blue, no direct sun.
Common generation mistakes
SymptomThe light turns into flat midday white.
FixState low-angle warm golden sunlight with long shadows.
Combinations Rolin checks
- Warning
Golden hour calls for a warm colour temperature (about 3200K)
- Warning
A black-and-white image loses neon, golden-hour or blue-hour colour
- Warning
Sepia and silent-film tinting are monochrome and lose neon, golden-hour or blue-hour colour