Blue Hour

Dubai – Shaikh Zaid Road – Leica M9

My students and photography friends even my close family members would know the meaning of the term “Blue Hour”. Is basically my favorite time of taking photos, during blue hour the light of the scene is at its best, not to mention the ambient is all lovely and bluish, and I make sure every time I travel, I plan in accordance that I reach the scene I intend to take a photo during Blue Hour time. Not single country that I have been without taking some sort of blue hour photo, as you can see from the photos here from various countries

Bahrain – Financial District – Nikon D3S

Wikipedia defines blue hour as “The blue hour is the period of twilight each morning and evening where there is neither full daylight nor complete darkness. The time is considered special because of the quality of the light. Photographers call it sweet light.”

Dubai – Burj Khalifa – Canon 5D Mark II

The term one Hour, apparently came from countries where the Blue light lasts for an hour. But some countries last more than that, for example when I was in Prague, the Blue time lasted for three hours. In Oman the Blue lasts for only 10-15 minutes. So its important you note this when you do your research to go out taking photos. When I want to do blue hour photography in Oman, I would go to the place at least 30 minutes before to prep myself, while I was in Prague, I had all the time in the world

Rome – The Colosseum – Canon 5D Mark II

Now during Blue hour, the light is amazing, but at the same time is low light photography, so its essential you bring your tripod with you. A shutter speed of 1/50 and below you should expect during Blue hour photography, hence a tripod is a must to stabilize the camera and avoid the shaking. But remember, at the end of the day, its all about composition and your creative eyes. Enjoy rest of the photos taken during Blue Hour