A while ago I wrote a piece for Landscape Photography Magazine exploring the reasons that sunrise and sunset mean so much to us as photographers and how to get the best out of photographing in the fantastic light available at these times.

 “I think I have turned into one of my children. Probably my wife would say I’ve always been a big kid anyway, but let me put that aside for a moment and address the issue: I have started, to my own exasperation, asking repeatedly, “Yes, but why?” If you have children, or nephews and nieces, you will recognise this inquisition and may have answered it thus: “Just, because, ok”? I know I have been guilty. The thing that has made me ask questions is our emotional reaction to sunrise and sunset. But I cannot say, “Just because” to myself; so I will have to write the rest of the article instead. As photographers you have crossed paths with the phrase “golden hour”, or one of its variants, which refers to the glorious light we experience at sunrise and sunset; given a clear enough sky to actually see it of course. I have been as seduced as anyone by the warm light of the sun’s tendrils caressing the dawn landscape or the orange-red sunset setting fire to the sky around brooding, silhouetted hills. The light at these precious times of day makes us feel good. The question is, why?”…

You can now download the full article for free here: LPM Psycho Sunrise.