Photography Challenge - The Golden Hour

Tim Mayo · Aug 9, 2021

A big thanks to everyone who joined in with the selective color photography challenge last month.

So for this month I thought we could try a golden hour challenge.

If you would like some tips on golden hour photography then this article will point you in the right direction:
https://digital-photography-school.com/how-photograph-golden-hour/

And you can also find some inspiration over on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/goldenhour/

This is not a competition so there will be no winners announced, it's purely for fun and self-development.

Simple Rules:

Sony cameras only please
No sky replacements, keep it real
Please don't post more than 3 separate posts, multiple images may be included in a single post

Have fun!

FowlersFreeTime · Aug 18, 2021

The term Golden Hour evokes an almost emotional response from me as I remember living in California for 5 years. Sadly I wasn't equipped with a camera back then, but when I got my a6000 a few years ago, I did take one trip. Here are a few from Santa Monica at Golden Hour:

ILCE-6000
FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
46.0 mm
ƒ/4
1/1000 sec
ISO 1600

ILCE-6000
FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
46.0 mm
ƒ/11
1/60 sec
ISO 160

ILCE-6000
FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
105.0 mm
ƒ/9
1/30 sec
ISO 1000

EDIT: There was also this one I took of my wife, but as it turns out, after using the camera for only 2 months at the time I didn't yet grasp the concept of blown-out highlights

ILCE-6000
FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
32.0 mm
ƒ/4
1/60 sec
ISO 160

Reciprocum · Aug 18, 2021

ILCE-7M3
Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM (SEL135F18GM)
135.0 mm
ƒ/1.8
1/8000 sec
ISO 100

ILCE-1
Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM (SEL135F18GM)
135.0 mm
ƒ/1.8
1/12800 sec
ISO 100

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
441.0 mm
ƒ/7.1
1/5000 sec
ISO 100

FowlersFreeTime · Aug 18, 2021

@Reciprocum Those are great!

Reciprocum · Aug 18, 2021

FowlersFreeTime said:
@Reciprocum Those are great!

Thank you so much

Sdawes · Sep 13, 2021

Sunrise at RSPB Titchwell in Norfolk

ILCE-9M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
485.0 mm
ƒ/9
1/400 sec
ISO 640

Jeff A · Sep 13, 2021

FowlersFreeTime said:
The term Golden Hour evokes an almost emotional response from me as I remember living in California for 5 years. Sadly I wasn't equipped with a camera back then, but when I got my a6000 a few years ago, I did take one trip. Here are a few from Santa Monica at Golden Hour:
View attachment 12525
View attachment 12526
View attachment 12527

EDIT: There was also this one I took of my wife, but as it turns out, after using the camera for only 2 months at the time I didn't yet grasp the concept of blown-out highlights

View attachment 12531

"
I didn't yet grasp the concept of blown-out highlights

" I got a real chuckle out of this, because I am finding a boatload of things that I have yet to grasp the concepts for. I'm into photography about about 10 months and I continue to be shocked at what I don't know.

FowlersFreeTime · Sep 16, 2021

Jeff A said:
"
I didn't yet grasp the concept of blown-out highlights " I got a real chuckle out of this, because I am finding a boatload of things that I have yet to grasp the concepts for. I'm into photography about about 10 months and I continue to be shocked at what I don't know.

Actually, on second thought, it was still a good photo as I exposed correctly for the most important part: my subject. Yes the sky is blown out, but in the long term, if I look back on that day and that picture, capturing her correctly was more important than the sunset behind her.
I am still struggling with this dilemma when I photograph someone in mixed lighting (or bright backlit) conditions. Still learning!

Reciprocum · Oct 19, 2021

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/800 sec
ISO 100

Reciprocum · Jan 21, 2022

ILCE-7M4
Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM (SEL135F18GM)
135.0 mm
ƒ/1.8
1/5000 sec
ISO 100

FowlersFreeTime · Jan 21, 2022

Reciprocum said:
View attachment 16208

I am quite surprised with how much detail you could recover in the "shadows" when facing right into the sun. Very nice!

Reciprocum · Jan 21, 2022

FowlersFreeTime said:
I am quite surprised with how much detail you could recover in the "shadows" when facing right into the sun. Very nice!

You would be even more amazed if I did tried to pull shadows (Wich I didn’t because I wanted to keep the contour effect), sadly I already deleted the RAW so I could not demo the potential of that M4 sensor.
It still drops my jaw when am am about to finish editing and do the final export I frequently do the before/after sliding curtain. M4 tops A1 in this regard.

EDIT: I rescued one of the RAWs to illustrate