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Random Lights Photography / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo
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25 of the most awesome golden hour images you’ll ever see

Explore the majestic light of the golden hour

The golden hour is that time just after sunrise and just before sunset. It’s the most beautiful light you can get on any given day, and a time when you’ll likely see a photographer out and about somewhere.

Called the golden hour, by virtue of the reddish, golden light emitted at this time of day, it’s also characterised by long shadows and a majestic glow as the sun begins its descent or ascent (depending on the time of day) past the horizon.

This kind of light lends itself to great imagery partly because the golden lighting is undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, but it also naturally creates a soft contrast in images as the sun is quite low and not as harsh as it in midday, therefore giving you an eye-pleasing balance of light throughout the image.

If you’ve not taken walks during this time of day, then hopefully this gallery of images will encourage you do so, because the golden hour really is a special time of day. After all, it’s also called the magic hour by some.

Golden hour around the world

Golden hour at Lutheran church in Vik. Fantastic sunset. Iceland
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Myron Standret / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Lutheran church in Vik, Iceland

Sunset over strange rock formations on the beach at Westward Ho! Devon England. Image shot 2008. Exact date unknown.
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Adam Burton / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Westward Ho! (yes, with the exclamation mark), Devon, UK

Golden hour in Landscapes of Tuscany sunrise, Val d'orcia, Italy
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Jan Wlodarczyk / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Tuscany, Val d'orcia, Italy

Golden hour over Mountain Fuji overlooking Yokohama
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denisip / Stockimo / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Mount Fuji overlooking Yokohama, Japan

Golden hour in Laguna de Los Tres and mount Fitz Roy, Dramatical sunrise, Patagonia, Argentina
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DPK-Photo / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Laguna de Los Tres and Mount Fitz Roy, Patagonia, Argentina

Brighton West Pier at Sunset, UK
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Shaun Stanley / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Brighton's burnt our West Pier, UK

Mesa Arch at sunrise, Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park, Utah
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Inge Johnsson / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Mesa Arch, Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA

In the golden light near sunset, a Chicago L train stops at Ashland on the Orange Line.
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Nick Suydam / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Chicago L train stops at Ashland on the Orange Line, USA

Golden hour in Canada Ontario Niagara Falls sunrise over Niagara Falls
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Cosmo Condina North America / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Golden hour and mist swirling, Abruzzo National Park Abruzzo Italy NR
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David Noton Photography / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Abruzzo National Park, Italy

Golden hour by Sugandisey, the basalt island, near Stykkisholmur, Iceland
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Mihai Andritoiu - Creative / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Sugandisey, the basalt island, near Stykkisholmur, Iceland

Golden hour in Paris, Louvre pyramid at sunset
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JOHN KELLERMAN / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

The Louvre, Paris, France

Sunrise over Fanad Head Lighthouse, Fanad Head, County Donegal, Ireland.
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Gareth McCormack / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Fanad Head Lighthouse, Fanad Head, County Donegal, Ireland

Golden hour and Eroded rock formations in Badlands National Park, South Dakota.
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Dennis Frates / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

Golden hour and Eroded rock formations in Badlands National Park, South Dakota.
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Tom Till / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

BT5MXW Sunset in Behind the Rocks, Wilderness Study Area, Utah

Golden hour. Ammonite fossils embedded in the rocks at Kilve, Somerset, England. Spring (May) 2009. N/A
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Adam Burton / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

BDTFP7 Ammonite fossils embedded in the rocks at Kilve, Somerset, England. Spring (May) 2009. N/A

Sunset over the Grand Pier at Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England, UK reflected in the wet sand of the beach at high tide.
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Anna Stowe Landscapes UK / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Grand Pier at Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, UK

Golden hour in Na Pali Coast spires from Tunnels Beach Island of Kauai Hawaii
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Russ Bishop / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Na Pali Coast spires from Tunnels Beach Island of Kauai, Hawaii

Spectacular sunrise on the coast near Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland
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Adam Burton / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Coastal area near Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

Golden hour in USA, California, Yosemite National Park, Taft Point, elevated view of El Capitan and Yosemite Valley. Image shot 2008. Exact date unknown.
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Jon Arnold Images Ltd / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Taft Point, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Golden hour. Father & Daughter, Central Park, New York City, USA
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Martin Thomas Photography / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Central Park, New York City, USA

Scenic view of ancient Bagan temple during golden hour
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keng po leung / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Dhammayan Gyi Temple, Myanmar (Burma)

Beautiful sunset with colours of red, orange and yellow, over Governors Bay, Canterbury New Zealand, looking towards Lyttelton
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travellinglight / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Governors Bay, Canterbury, New Zealand

Golden hour in Africa Namibia Sesriem Sossusvlei sand dune
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JLImages / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

Sesriem Sossusvlei sand dune, Namibia

A large starling murmuration at Whixall Moss, near Whitchurch, Shropshire, UK, seen against a glorious sunset - December 2019
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Alex Ramsay / ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏStock Photo

A large starling murmuration at Whixall Moss, near Whitchurch, Shropshire, UK

James Allsworth

A photographer, digital media degree holder and part of the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏContent team for 18 years. James has a strong interest in all things visual and is our Head of Content.

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