News Special photo moments – blue hour

Above: blue hour in Manchester, UK.

Our work involves regular interval capture so are set up to process images continuously for days, weeks, months – even years. The results can often be quite magical, especially when capturing at certain times of day.

This is especially true of the ‘blue hour’, recurring twice each day. This phrase refers to the figurative period shortly after sunrise and the period shortly before sunset.

Also known as the ‘golden hour’ or ‘magic hour’, this special time of day is thought to foster some of the most favourable conditions for photography.

At the beginning and end of the day, this is when light appears the warmest. When nearer to the horizon, sunlight travels through a greater depth of atmosphere, thus reducing the ratio between direct and indirect sunlight.

Cooler blue light is also scattered at these points, which can provide striking juxtapositions for the warmer hues given off by the sun.

Here’s a selection of some of our favourite ‘blue hour’ images captured by our very own camera systems.

Above: sunrise over a construction project in Hayes.

Above: before sunrise over 125 Deansgate in Spinningfields, Manchester.

Above: an early-morning view over a NOVA Manchester time-lapse construction project.

Above: blue hour in the City of London, UK.

Above: a time-lapse UK construction project for Kier.