Golden Hour City

Solar almanac · 2026-11-01 · United States

Golden hour in Los Angeles, United States

34.0522° N
118.2437° W
America/Los_Angeles

Times shown in local time for Los Angeles (America/Los_Angeles).

Golden hour & blue hour

WindowStartsEnds
Blue hour (morning)05:1705:46
Golden hour (morning)06:1206:47
Golden hour (evening)16:2416:59
Blue hour (evening)17:2517:55

Light profile · calculated

Golden hour in Los Angeles through the year

Midsummer
37 min
Equinox
33 min
Midwinter
38 min

Length of the evening golden-hour window.

Los Angeles lies at 34.05° N, in the subtropics, with short, decisive twilights. Its longest measured day falls on Fri 19 June 2026 with 14h 26m of daylight, and its shortest on Fri 18 December 2026 with 9h 53m — a difference of 4h 33m between the two extremes.

Evening golden hour in Los Angeles runs for roughly 37 minutes at the height of summer, 33 minutes around the March equinox and 38 minutes at midwinter. The warm window is actually widest in the colder months, which makes winter evenings unusually forgiving here.

The sun sets toward 299° WNW in late June and toward 242° WSW in late December, a shift of about 57° in where the last light lands — worth checking before committing to a west-facing viewpoint. In Los Angeles, the sky reaches full darkness between evening and morning twilight year-round.

Field notes for photographers

Where to shoot golden hour in Los Angeles

Los Angeles spreads across a basin between mountains and the Pacific, giving photographers radically different skyline and coastal views. Dry air can be crisp, while haze turns layered ridges into warm tonal bands.

  1. 01

    Griffith Observatory Grounds

    Best for sunset

    Move onto the west lawn to separate the Hollywood Sign from the downtown skyline.

    Sun rises
    107° ESE
    Sun sets
    253° WSW
  2. 02

    California Plaza

    Best for sunset

    Use Angels Flight tracks and steps as diagonals against the surrounding towers.

    Sun rises
    107° ESE
    Sun sets
    253° WSW
  3. 03

    Santa Monica Pier

    Best for sunset

    Work from the beach to silhouette the Ferris wheel through the pier structure.

    Sun rises
    107° ESE
    Sun sets
    253° WSW

Seasonal light. The seasonal day-length swing is moderate; winter often brings a lower sun and clearer basin views, while summer extends coastal evenings.

Today’s solar record

−2 min/day

Sunrise
06:12

rises at 107° ESE

Sunset
16:59

sets at 253° WSW

Solar noon
11:36
Day length
10h 47m

Evening golden hour starts at 16:24

Add to calendar

Solar trajectory

Maximum 41°
06:1241° at 11:3616:59
East · sunriseHighest point of the sun today: 41° above the horizon. The shaded band near the horizon is golden-hour light.West · sunset

Twenty-four hours of light

06:12Sunrise11:36Solar noon16:59Sunset
NightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Next 7 days

DateSunriseSunsetDay length
2026-11-0106:1216:5910h 47m
2026-11-0206:1316:5910h 45m
2026-11-0306:1416:5810h 44m
2026-11-0406:1516:5710h 42m
2026-11-0506:1616:5610h 40m
2026-11-0606:1716:5510h 38m
2026-11-0706:1816:5410h 36m

Annual light rhythm · Los Angeles

9h 54m—14h 25m
JFMAMJJASOND
Longest days in June (14h 25m), shortest in December (9h 54m).

Questions

When is golden hour in Los Angeles today?
Evening golden hour in Los Angeles starts at 16:24 and ends at sunset, 16:59. Morning golden hour runs from sunrise, 06:12, until 06:47 local time (America/Los_Angeles).
How long does golden hour last in Los Angeles?
Evening golden hour in Los Angeles runs from 16:24 to 16:59, and morning golden hour from 06:12 to 06:47.
When is blue hour in Los Angeles?
Morning blue hour in Los Angeles begins at 05:17, before sunrise. Evening blue hour begins at 17:25, just after sunset.
What time is sunrise in Los Angeles today?
Sunrise in Los Angeles is at 06:12 local time (America/Los_Angeles), rising toward 107° ESE.
What time is sunset in Los Angeles today?
Sunset in Los Angeles is at 16:59 local time (America/Los_Angeles), setting toward 253° WSW.
How long is the day in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has 10h 47m of daylight today.

Other views for Los Angeles

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