What are the best camera settings and lenses for capturing the warm and soft light of golden hour?

Golden hour occurs shortly after sunrise and before sunset, when the sun is low in the sky, casting warm and diffused light. Timing is essential for capturing the soft, warm glow that defines this period. To make the most of it, check your location’s exact sunrise and sunset times using an app like Photopills. Arrive at least 30 minutes before golden hour starts, allowing time for setup and adjustments. Keep in mind, the light changes rapidly, so plan your shots accordingly. Shooting early will offer cooler, softer tones, while waiting longer provides richer, more intense warmth.

It's also worth mentioning "blue hour" which is the period before the sun has risen or after it has set - this can be a great time to shoot as well, particularly in cities where the yellow city lights contrast well with the deep blue sky.

To capture golden hour light, set your camera to manual mode. A low ISO (100-400) reduces noise, ensuring clean shots. Use a wide aperture (f/1.8 to f/4) for a soft, dreamy background (bokeh) effect, while a smaller aperture (f/8-f/11) enhances depth of field for landscapes. Adjust your shutter speed to avoid motion blur—between 1/100 to 1/250 for handheld shots. Consider shooting in RAW for maximum flexibility in post-processing, especially when balancing exposure with the dynamic light shifts during golden hour.

If you use a custom white balance to "match" the warm sunlight, you will lose the warmth that is the attraction of shooting at this time of day! Try a normal "daylight" white balance so image will contain the warm tones that are why it's called "golden hour"! A low ISO may not always be best - you may need to use higher ISO to keep correct exposure and avoid your shutter speed dropping too low and creating motion blur, especially when photographing people. Exposure compensation can be helpful - but you may need to use it to slightly overexpose rather than underexpose your subject, if they have their back to the sun. Or you can use fill-flash to light the subject while setting the ambient exposure to correctly expose for the background.

Lens choice greatly impacts how golden hour is captured. A prime lens with a wide aperture (such as 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.4) excels at isolating subjects and creating beautiful background bokeh, ideal for portrait photography. For landscapes, a wide-angle lens (16-35mm) allows you to incorporate more of the environment, highlighting the expansive skies and glowing horizons. If capturing details, a macro lens can emphasize small elements with soft, warm light. Choose lenses that complement the mood you're aiming to evoke in your images.

I would also add, the lens needs to be fast alike F2.8, F1.8, F1.4. As it gets darker per second, With a fast F stop lens one will be able to shoot quickly and create stunning bokeh.

I disagree slightly with Raspal - you don't necessarily need a fast lens, unless you are specifically looking for shallow depth of field and the "bokeh" (pleasing soft out of focus areas) that he mentions. For landscapes and cityscapes a smaller f-stop (e.g F5.6 to F11), may be preferable to get all the scene in focus. As with most things photographic, it depends on the subject and on your preferences!

Location plays a crucial role in utilizing golden hour light effectively. Look for open spaces like parks, beaches, or hilltops where the light can flow uninterrupted, enhancing natural elements. Urban environments can offer reflective surfaces that bounce golden hues off buildings, adding depth. Consider how shadows interact with your scene, as long shadows can add drama and texture. Also, scout locations ahead of time to know how the light will behave based on surrounding terrain, ensuring you’re prepared to capture the desired effect.

Golden hour offers a unique opportunity to experiment with different techniques. Play with silhouettes by positioning subjects directly in front of the sun, capturing their outline while the sky glows behind them. Backlighting creates an ethereal halo effect, especially when shooting through hair or foliage. Use lens flares creatively by angling the camera towards the sun, adding a whimsical, dreamy quality to your shots. Additionally, try adjusting your white balance manually to emphasize the warmth, or shoot in black and white to explore contrast. Creativity in composition and technique can turn simple scenes into stunning visuals.