Golden hour in San Francisco
Hills, fog, and west-facing water make the quality of light change quickly from one neighborhood to the next.
Today's light
- Morning golden
- 5:49 AM – 6:28 AM
- Evening golden
- 7:51 PM – 8:30 PM
- Sunrise
- 5:49 AM
- Sunset
- 8:30 PM
How to use these times
Arrive before the listed start. The best frame may happen before direct light reaches your subject, especially around buildings, hills, or haze. Use the live app for the countdown, best upcoming window, and current cloud-based shoot score.
Read the golden-hour field guideToday's direction
Sunrise is toward ENE; sunset is toward WNW. Morning works well from higher ground when low fog separates neighborhoods into layers.
Evening is strongest near west-facing water or ridge lines, but fog can change the plan quickly.
Seasonal note
Summer fog can mute the sunset near the coast while leaving warmer breaks over eastern neighborhoods and the bay.
How Golden Hour calculates the windowPlanning ideas
Fog layers
Look for elevated viewpoints when fog is present; separation can matter more than direct sun.
Bay reflections
Use water and pale buildings to keep warmth in the frame after streets lose direct light.
Neighborhood fallback
If the coast is socked in, eastern neighborhoods may still have clear breaks and warmer color.
Reviewed 2026-06-07