Snapshot 69: The golden hour

From the new snapshot: "Orange"

For many, the most beautiful light of the day shines during the golden hour. Shortly before the sun sets or after it rises, many photography enthusiasts are particularly active. Naro is no exception.

What fascinates you about the golden hour?

Clearly the light. The special thing about the golden hour is the lighting mood created by the low sun. Shadows are drawn out, the contrast between light and dark becomes stronger and this creates completely different pictorial effects that allow the respective motifs to tell completely different stories. I like to use backlighting during the golden hour so that the people or individual objects in the picture are abstracted as silhouettes and become part of the scenery with the light. And as we photographers know, light is everything.

What makes the difference to the blue hour for you?

The big difference is that you can stage certain situations and motifs differently. For example, the light can also be viewed as a spotlight and directed at certain parts of the image. This directs the viewer's gaze. This is very different from the blue hour, which basically works almost all the time, regardless of the weather. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the golden hour, where you need a bit of luck for the sun to show itself.

What do you pay attention to when recording and how do you go about it?

I often already have a certain idea of what I want to do when taking pictures. I often see a street or a motif and imagine what it might look like at certain times with the right light. Sometimes I even wait quite a long time for the right time of year and check various apps to see when the sun is shining. And when the position of the sun is perfect, I try to capture one scene or another.

What tips do you have?

Backlit shots often have their limits. On the one hand, you want to capture the light of the sun, but on the other, you don't want the subject to disappear completely in the dark. Fortunately, digital photography nowadays allows you to get a lot out of RAW files with the right cameras and sensors. However, these should still have sufficient reserves in the dynamic range. It helps to expose the photo a little darker, as you can get more out of the darker areas than the brighter ones. Personally, I have gotten into the habit of underexposing the photos by about 2/3 aperture.

Do you photograph at special times of the year?

I like to take photos at any time of year, as each has its own charm. And as I've already described, I follow the course of the sun and observe where the sun rises and sets depending on the subject. In winter, the advantage is that you don't have to get up too early to catch the sunrise and the corresponding golden hour. In summer, on the other hand, it's nice to take advantage of the late sunset so that you can easily be out and about after work.

Do you post-process your photos?

Yes, I edit my photos so that they match the mood I have in mind for the subject in question. I often take back the highlights to see the outline of the sun if it suits the image. Sometimes I also use a muck filter, which gives the light a certain glow effect and softens the light. I often intensify the light-dark contrasts to make the effect of the light more impressive. The darker the surroundings, the brighter the light appears. I like to use dark areas, for example at the edges, as a kind of frame for the respective motifs.

more info and more works by the artist:

Naro
Instagram:
@naro.berlino
@naro.analogo

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