There’s something magical about the time between first light and sunrise. The sky shifts from darkness to light as the world slowly wakes up. Light is soft and diffused. Skies turn pink and gold. The pace is measured and unfolds slowly. It’s peaceful and calm. Everything is quiet and still in anticipation.
In the world of film and video production, this time period is called the “magic hour” because of the way the natural light is diffused. Since the sun hasn’t yet risen, there are no shadows and subjects can be beautifully lit with soft light. Magic hour is followed by the “golden hour” which occurs directly after the sun rises. During golden hour the light is rich and warm and the world has a soft glow. Golden hour is a favorite time for photographers shooting in natural light. The sequence is reversed in the evening when the sun sets. To be 100% accurate about it, neither period is exactly an hour long since the timing varies from location to location and season to season.
When traveling around the world, I often make an effort to view my surroundings during the early morning hours. The below photo, one of my favorites, was taken before sunrise at the Notre-Damede la Garde in Marseille France. I’ll never forget walking up the hill to the basilica in the bitter cold darkness of a January morning. But the panoramic view of the city and port as the early morning sky slowly lit up were worth every bit of discomfort. It was glorious!
More recently, I had the pleasure of watching the world shift from darkness to light at Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia, Canada. Our visit took place in August so the weather was perfect but it did require a mighty early start. We set out at 4:30 am to catch first light (special thanks to my sister, nieces and nephew for sharing the adventure!).
Peggy’s Cove, being on the coastline, is often foggy but it was beautifully clear that morning. We found the perfect vantage point and settled in for Mother Nature’s performance. She did not disappoint! It was another glorious show!
Peggy’s Cove is known for its rugged beauty. The quaint fishing village is surrounded by huge granite boulders facing the Atlantic Ocean.
The classic red-and-white lighthouse, officially called Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, is an iconic Canadian image. It’s a popular destination and the site is often crowded with visitors. Avoiding those crowds is another advantage of visiting Peggy’s Cove in the early morning. In fact, we had this beautiful place to ourselves.
You can see the difference between the magic hour and golden hour lighting in the two photos below. The first photo was taken with first light during the magic hour. The second photo was taken after sunrise during the golden hour.
It appears building cairns, especially inuksuit, has become very popular at Peggy’s Cove. An inukshuk, traditionally made by Inuit people, is a man-made structure of rough stones stacked in the form of a human figure. An inukshuk is commonly thought to communicate “Now the people will know we were here”.
More Info
Peggy’s Cove is renowned for its rugged beauty and is a popular destination. As a native Nova Scotian, I’ve visited the area many times and can honestly say it never disappoints. If you ever have a chance to visit Nova Scotia, I highly recommend you stop by Peggy’s Cove. For more info see the Peggy’s Cove Coastal Region website.
Magic Hour, an app by elfinda apps, calculates the time of sunrise and sunset and the adjacent magic/golden hour by location and date. As you can see in the below screenshot from the Magic Hour About page, magic/golden hour is typically when the sun is between 6 degrees below the horizon to 6 degrees above.
Today’s Takeaways
- Consider visiting popular destinations during the early morning hours.
- Make time to experience Mother Nature’s performance between first light and sunrise. Research the best times for your location and season.
- Consider taking photos during the magic or golden hour for beautiful diffused light.
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