ASSIGNMENT 14

Blue Hour

ASSIGNMENT

Did you miss the golden hour? You’re in luck. One of my favorite times to photograph is the blue hour!

TECHNIQUE

The blue hour is also known as twilight. It does not last an hour, but it is the time just before sunrise and just after sunset. It’s appropriately named because everything around you actually turns a cool shade of blue. Because this is happening before or after the sun sets, forget about shadows, sunbursts, or rim light. You will, however, have to worry about stabilizing your camera or holding it really still if you shoot handheld.

If your camera is steady, it’s a good time to capture long exposure shots of people and vehicles going by. Refer to Assignment 17: The Street at Night on page 46 for additional tips.

TIP

Remember that motion blur works best when the background is absolutely sharp.

World Champions! / Cabourg, France, 2018

It was the night France won the Soccer World Cup. Everyone was a champion that day!

Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec., ISO 2000