Lighting 101: Blue Hour | Bergen County Photographer
Blue Hour is the period of approximately 30 to 40 minutes of twilight in the morning or evening when the sun is far enough below the horizon that makes the color of the sky range from blue to dark blue, followed by black or vice versa for the morning.
Blue Hour starts about 30 minutes prior to sunrise, peaking at 10 minutes before sunrise and fading very fast after that. During sunset blue hour starts at about 10 to 15 minutes after the sun has set. The duration also depends on the geographical location and the season.
Blue Hour shots usually require long exposure with slow shutter speeds. It is a good idea to use a tripod to avoid camera shake as any slight movement can make the image blurry.
Blue Hour is a great time to capture subjects that have artificial light sources such as buildings, cityscapes and landscapes.