# Best Time of Day to Shoot Outside



## dvduval

I was wondering what you consider to be the best time of day to take outdoor pictures. A friend was telling me they got some fantastic shots around sunset.


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## neea

sunrise and sunset.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/1233....com/is/image/ballarddesigns/WT485_1?$detail$

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/1233....com/is/image/ballarddesigns/WT485_1?$detail$

The 'golden hour' makes skin tones look fantastic!!
It's my favorite time of day to shoot. I'm not a morning person so I always shoot just before the sun goes down. I work nights so I'm usually going to bed when the sun is coming up and it's just as nice... if not even nicer sometimes.
I really need to force myself to get out one morning before the snow falls this year.


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## DeepSpring

SUNSET!!!!! Sunrise too but I'm never up earlier enough lol

I try to do all my photoshoots right before the sun goes down. Not only is there great color and everything but there is less light in the sky so my little flashes don't have to work as hard and I can do nicer lighting.


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## dvduval

Thanks for your answers. This confirms what I heard.
And what is exciting is it is almost time for the sun to set.


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## Mike_E

The color of the light is best usually between 15 min before sunrise and 30 min after- at least in my neck of the woods.   Reverse that for sunset.  In general you can shoot until the sun is 40-45 degrees from the horizontal plane on which your subjects are standing.  The same principals apply to natural lighting as they do to studio lighting and vice-versa.


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## MikeR

dvduval said:


> Thanks for your answers. This confirms what I heard.
> And what is exciting is it is almost time for the sun to set.


 
Log off and go shoot something!    Don't forget to post it here.


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## Jeremy.Hung

Depending on what you want to shoot, different times of the day will give your photo a different mood, for example if you'd like to shoot the colours of the sky, you have to make sure that the sky is blue and clear that day, then at around five (depending on where you live), or one hour before the sun sets, head out the the closest beach that will give you a nice view of the sunset, if you're early and have some time to spare, take photos of other things like sand, flowers, shells...etc, but make sure you have enough time to set up your tripod. When the sun goes down, you can start snapping, once it is set and you can no longer see the sun, do not leave yet! A few minutes later the sky might give you some magical clowers as a reward for your patience!

Jeremy


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## WDodd

I would agree with everyone else, "golden hour" the half hour before and after sunrise and sunset is the best time to shoot.


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## neea

It's my goal this week to finally try making it for sunrise!!! 
I've taken one sunrise picture in my whole life (long before i was even interested in photography as a hobby/profession) and it's one of my favorites.

WDodd: I like your avatar!


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## Garbz

1 hour after sunset  There's nothing like a bit of twilight and the city lights just coming on to make for a great background, or be the photo itself 

Just watch leaving it too late. Just before sunset the light gets very red, too red, so red that the last portrait I did so late I pulled out a flash to balance it back to orange or processed to black and white.


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## Groupcaptainbonzo

You shoot the best images when the light is best for THOSE images...

My personal favorite for city scapes is just as the sun sets ... the sky goes darker and the meter reads about the same for sky and foreground. When you see the resultant image, the detail is everywhere, the lights of the city show up really well and the sky is a dark haunting blue...

Not much good for macro or group portraits of formal occasions though... ! ! !


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