Lighting 101: Golden Hour | Bergen County Photographer
The golden hour is the first hour of light after sunrise and the last hour of light before sunset. The reason why we talk a lot about golden hour in photography is because it is during this time of day that the sun is lower in the horizon. When a light source is larger relative to the subject, it produces soft light.
Soft light doesn't create harsh shadows and therefore tends to be more flattering to the subject. In addition, the lower angle of the sun creates longer shadows, adding interest to your images.