SHOOT TRUE-BLUE SCENICS
Photography week|April 28, 2022
Mike Harris shows you how to photograph the blue hour, proving that sunrise and sunset aren't the be-all and end-all of landscapes
Mike Harris
SHOOT TRUE-BLUE SCENICS

1 HOUR

We're willing to bet that there isn't a landscape photographer in all the land who doesn't love to photograph sunsets. But this jawdropping spectacle isn't the be-all and end-all of landscape photography, We've lost count of how many times we've seen fellow photographers pack up once the gorgeous golden light has faded, trudging back to their cars and missing the encore: the blue hour.

Blue hour occurs before sunrise and after sunset, and tends to last less than 30 minutes. This incredible phenomenon happens during civil twilight, when the sun is between four and six degrees below the horizon. The longer wavelengths of red light fly into the Earth's atmosphere and out the other side while the shorter blue wavelengths hit the atmosphere and scatter, shrouding the landscape in those distinctive cool hues.

You can calculate when blue hour will occur at a given location with planning apps like PhotoPills, but as with any landscape shoot, it's worth turning up ahead of time so you can prepare your kit and frame a good composition before the main event.

Shooting the blue hour doesn't require any special techniques, but darker conditions make a tripod a must. It's also worth spending a bit of time in post-production really honing those gorgeous blue hues.

This story is from the April 28, 2022 edition of Photography week.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 28, 2022 edition of Photography week.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PHOTOGRAPHY WEEKView All
VILTROX AF 27MM F1.2 PRO
Photography week

VILTROX AF 27MM F1.2 PRO

A 'pro' lens with a consumer price tag

time-read
5 mins  |
March 28, 2024
HOW TO...MASTER SHADOWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Photography week

HOW TO...MASTER SHADOWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

This powerful tool has more to it than meets the eye, and it's ideal for landscapes

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024
PATCHWORK PORTRAITS
Photography week

PATCHWORK PORTRAITS

Mike Harris uses the Brenizer method to shoot and edit a bokeh panorama with a super-shallow depth of field

time-read
4 mins  |
March 28, 2024
PHOTO CONTEST CELEBRATES BRITAIN'S NATURAL WONDERS
Photography week

PHOTO CONTEST CELEBRATES BRITAIN'S NATURAL WONDERS

British Wildlife Photography Awards feature amazing images of fauna and flora

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024
COMPLETE GUIDE TO LANDSCAPE POST-PROCESSING
Photography week

COMPLETE GUIDE TO LANDSCAPE POST-PROCESSING

Take your best scenic images further using natural editing techniques

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 28, 2024
INSTAX MINI 99 LETS YOU TAKE CONTROL AND GET CREATIVE
Photography week

INSTAX MINI 99 LETS YOU TAKE CONTROL AND GET CREATIVE

Fujifilm's most advanced Instax yet gets colour effects and new focus modes

time-read
1 min  |
March 28, 2024
LUMIX S 100MM F/2.8 MACRO
Photography week

LUMIX S 100MM F/2.8 MACRO

It ticks many boxes, but it's not a total success

time-read
4 mins  |
March 21, 2024
HOW TO...GET THE LONG-EXPOSURE LOOK
Photography week

HOW TO...GET THE LONG-EXPOSURE LOOK

James Paterson shows you how to use the Stack feature in Affinity Photo to combine a set of photos and blur choppy waters

time-read
1 min  |
March 21, 2024
FLASH FUNGI
Photography week

FLASH FUNGI

Master macro with off-camera flash to capture mushroom photos with James Paterson

time-read
5 mins  |
March 21, 2024
PORTRAITS AND PREDATORS: WPA ANNOUNCES OPEN WINNERS
Photography week

PORTRAITS AND PREDATORS: WPA ANNOUNCES OPEN WINNERS

Prestigious contest reveals its latest round of amazing winning images

time-read
1 min  |
March 21, 2024