Golden hour, the hour after sunrise and before sunset, gives the warm, low light that makes everyone look good. You cannot always shoot then. A golden hour filter adds that sunlight afterwards. Here is how to do it online free, with no app and no account.
Add golden hour light in three steps
- Open the free Golden Hour Sun Flare tool and upload an outdoor photo.
- Pick a Sunlight Style and a Sun Position.
- Set intensity, warmth, ray reach and haze, then download.
Sunlight styles
- Sunset Glow: warm, soft evening light. The default.
- Optical Flare: a lens flare streak, like shooting into the sun.
- Morning Sunbeam: lighter, fresher rays.
- Warm Haze: a soft golden haze over the whole scene.
- Rainbow Prism: a coloured prism flare for a playful look.
The sliders
- Sun Intensity (10 to 100): how bright the sun is.
- Golden Warmth (0 to 100): how orange the light is.
- Ray Beam Reach (10 to 100): how far the rays stretch across the photo.
- Atmospheric Haze (0 to 100): a soft glow in the air, like dust or mist in sunlight.
Make it look real
- Put the sun where the light already comes from. If shadows in your photo fall to the left, the sun should be on the right. Otherwise the light looks fake.
- Lower is more natural. Start the intensity around the middle and come down.
- Top corners work best, since the real sun is above the horizon.
- Faces should not be lit from the wrong side. If the face is lit from the left, keep the sun on the left.
Photos that suit golden hour
| Photo | Try |
|---|---|
| Portrait outdoors in flat light | Sunset Glow, low intensity |
| Beach or field | Warm Haze |
| Trees, forest, a street with buildings | Morning Sunbeam |
| A dramatic travel shot | Optical Flare |
Indoor photos and night shots do not suit it: there is no sun to explain the light.
Tips
- For warmth without rays or flare, the free color temperature tool is gentler.
- Add a soft bloom with the free soft glow tool for a dreamy finish.
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Want a sunset portrait somewhere new? Copy a free prompt from the Travel Poster collection, or download Trendy AI Lab and make one in the app with a plan.
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