Did you know there are three different kinds of twilight?

Twilight is more than a teen romance of vampires, werewolves and a perfectly ordinary girl, it’s one of the most spectacular times to take photographs. Actually, it’s two times to take photos! The twilight we tend to think of happens 20-25 minutes before the sun rises (but honestly, who wants to wake up for that?!) or 20-25 minutes after the sunsets. Obviously, we’re aiming for those perfect dusky shots.

Photos taken at twilight turn out to be the most colourful because of that glorious warm light from the setting sun. This is the absolute best time to grab your camera, make sure you’ve switched to night photography settings, and start shooting. But to get the best out of your photos, did you know that there are three distinct times to twilight? And that each has its pros and cons?

1. Civil twilight

Civil twilight is the first stage – the one we tend to associate with the word twilight – and it’s right after the official time of sunset. It’s when the centre of the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon. This is the best time for portrait or landscape photography, because of all that glorious light and colour in the sky and clouds. But look out for those clouds: if they’re too low you’ve really only got about 15 minutes to capture all that colour.

2. Nautical twilight

Nautical twilight follows civil twilight and you might have heard it called the “blue hour.” It’s when the centre of the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon and most of the light has subsided creating that beautiful, cold blue of almost-night. Don’t underestimate what those blue hues can do for your photography.

3. Astronomical twilight

Astronomical twilight is about an hour and a half after sunset and just before night really falls. It’s when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon. This is the best time to get a starry sky shot, or light reflected on water, or all the night lights of a big city.
So, what’s a twilight photo for real estate? A twilight photo is usually taken of the exterior of the property, at dusk. It’s used to showcase landscape and property lighting, pool lighting and fun features like fire pits and, yes sure, it’s also to show off a beautiful sunset.

But it’s also so much more than just taking a good picture during the sunset. We’re talking multiple flash exposures, and maybe a sky replacement shot (because what if the clouds are too low, or the sky just won’t cooperate?), blended together for one final, stunning composite image.

Flawless and vibrant twilight images from V-Mark Design

V-Mark Design uses state-of-the-art equipment, and our accomplished real estate photographers create extraordinary property images sure to capture the attention and imagination of potential buyers. The property exterior is meticulously enhanced to look its photogenic best. We style the patio or yard, shift furniture and use props to capture the perfect ambience and ensure the saleable features of your property are highlighted in every shot. Multiple exposures are taken, blended and retouched to create a flawless and vibrant image. Photos are then conveniently delivered in print and web-ready formats for easy printing and uploading. Get in touch for more information.