of
daylight varies with the time of day. It tends to be around 2,000 K shortly after
sunrise or before
sunset, around 3,500 K during "golden hour", and around 5,500 K at
midday. The color temperature can also change significantly with
altitude,
latitude, season, and weather conditions. es in Chicago the sunsets occur in the middle of east-west streets (an event known as Chicagohenge), creating intriguing golden hour photography opportunities like this
diffraction spike in an
urban canyon. Similar phenomenon (such as
Manhattanhenge) occur in other parts of the world at various times of the year. When the
sun is low above the
horizon,
sunlight rays must penetrate the
atmosphere for a
greater distance,
reducing the intensity of the
direct light, so that more of the
illumination comes from
indirect light from the sky, reducing the
lighting ratio. This is technically a type of lighting
diffusion. More blue light is
scattered, so if the sun is present, its light appears more reddish. In addition, the sun's
low angle above the horizon produces longer shadows. The term
hour is used figuratively; the effect has no clearly defined duration and varies according to season and latitude. The character of the lighting is determined by the sun's
altitude, and the time for the sun to move from the horizon to a specified altitude depends on a location's
latitude and the time of year. In
Los Angeles, California, at an hour after sunrise or an hour before
sunset, the sun has an altitude of about 10–12°. For a location closer to the
Equator, the same altitude is reached in less than an hour, and for a location farther from the equator, the altitude is reached in more than one hour. For a location sufficiently far from the equator, the sun may not reach an altitude of 10°, and the golden hour lasts for the entire day in certain seasons. In the middle of the day, the bright overhead sun can create strong highlights and dark
shadows. The degree to which
overexposure can occur varies because different types of film and digital cameras have different
dynamic ranges. This harsh lighting problem is particularly important in portrait photography, where a
fill flash is often necessary to balance lighting across the subject's face or body, filling in strong shadows that are usually considered undesirable. Because the contrast is less during the golden hour, shadows are less dark, and highlights are less likely to be overexposed. In
landscape photography, the
warm color of the low sun is often considered desirable to enhance the colours of the scene. It is the best time of day for natural photography when diffuse and warm light is desired. File:Bangkok skytrain sunset.jpg|
Bangkok during the golden hour File:Portrait of a young boy with cotton necklace.jpg|Portrait photo taken during the golden hour File:Kaohsiung Taiwan Skyline.jpg|Golden hour at downtown
Kaohsiung Taiwan File:Sunset at Long Beach (South Africa).jpg|Golden hour at Long Beach,
Noordhoek,
Cape Town in
South Africa File:Nottuln, Gladbeck, Grashalm -- 2024 -- 4342.jpg|A blade of grass in a
barley field File:Main Street in downtown Randolph, Vermont 01.jpg|
Randolph, Vermont == In film ==