The Golden Hour of photography: How to take the perfect Instagram photos
The perfect time to capture holiday photos in beautiful lighting is during the Golden Hour, just after sunrise and just before sunset.
Taking photos during the Golden Hour, which occurs during the hour before sunset and one hour after the sun has risen, will mean natural lighting will be softer and warmer – saving time on editing your Instagram posts.
On a one-week holiday, the average holidaymaker will take 84 photos, spending 36 minutes glued to their phone screens editing their images.
Almost one in four people spend over 40 minutes adjusting their photos while on holiday, according to a new study by American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card.
Watch the video above to see Emma Willis discover how to take the perfect Instagram-ready photos.
Three Golden Rules from the Amex Golden Hour Instagrammers:
1. Embrace weather conditions, says @opticalhi
Shoot when there are some clouds in the sky, simply because it adds so much more texture and depth to the photo. If you can time it right and take your photo when the sun is emerging, the clouds will add amazing character to your photo.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div> <div> <div> </div> </div> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMZj0kcjDdw/" target="_blank" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3396476-https://www.instagram.com/p/BMZj0kcjDdw/" data-vars-event-id="c23">Been a while since I posted a panoramic shot! This is 1 of 3 of one of the better sunsets I experienced this fall at Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu. To see the entire image, please visit my page! ✌🏼️</a> A photo posted by Jimmy Wilkinson (@opticalhi) on <time datetime="2016-11-04T19:07:00+00:00">Nov 4, 2016 at 12:07pm PDT</time> </div>
2. Look for unique elements, says @soteeoh
Golden Hour creates some striking shadows. Keep your eye out for interesting shapes and the shadows they create to get a truly unique shot.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div> <div> <div> </div> </div> <strong><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMU6Z8VAlPf/" target="_blank" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3396476-https://www.instagram.com/p/BMU6Z8VAlPf/" data-vars-event-id="c23">Focus is more important than intelligence...</a></strong> <strong>A photo posted by Soteeoh (@soteeoh) on <time datetime="2016-11-02T23:48:08+00:00">Nov 2, 2016 at 4:48pm PDT</time></strong> </div>
3. Be aware of the sunrise and sunset direction, says @dennisstever
If you're looking to create a silhouette, make sure you're facing the direction of the light, and place your subject in between you and the sun. .If you're looking to highlight details, make sure the sun is behind you.
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div> <div> <div> </div> </div> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHUsmMHDTim/" target="_blank" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3396476-https://www.instagram.com/p/BHUsmMHDTim/" data-vars-event-id="c23">Started the day with a magical journey through the third largest desert in the world.. On Camel back, of course. 🐫👌🏻 Can't imagine a better way to start the day. @anantaraqasralsarab @anantara_hotels @qasralsarab #qasralsarab #anantaradreamjourneys</a> A photo posted by Dennis Stever (@dennisstever) on <time datetime="2016-07-01T15:10:30+00:00">Jul 1, 2016 at 8:10am PDT</time> </div>
Visit amexgoldenhour.co.uk to find out more.
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