GOLDEN HOUR GLORY: A FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE TO SUNRISE TIMES IN LONDON
Sunrise Times London for Filmmakers: Best Locations & Light Planning Tips
30th of June, 2025.
Golden Hour Glory: A Film & Photography Guide to Sunrise Times in London
Key Takeaways for Filmmakers & Content Creators:
Sunrise in London offers unrivalled light for cinematic shoots, with locations like Wapping Carpark and Skyline providing perfect city views.
Understanding London’s sunrise times helps crews maximise golden hour opportunities year-round—vital for managing shoot schedules, light setups and location permits.
Wapping Carpark, a film location with a prime London view.
Sunrise in London isn’t just a spectacle—it’s a priceless production asset. Whether you're planning a tightly timed commercial, a serene city montage or a golden-hour dialogue scene, knowing when and where the first light hits is essential.
As one of the world’s most filmed cities, London offers a rare mix of historic grandeur and modern geometry, bathed each morning in ever-changing light. This guide isn't just about admiring the dawn—it's about harnessing it for your next film production or photoshoot.
Sunrise & Scene-Setting: The Cinematic Power of Dawn
For production companies, especially those scouting or shooting on location in London, light is storytelling—and the sunrise delivers some of the most atmospheric light available. That rich, directional glow of first light gives texture, mood and dimension that’s almost impossible to replicate artificially without extensive gear or post-work.
In visual media, the early morning golden hour is ideal for:
Establishing shots with soft contrast and minimal shadow
Natural-light interviews and reflective moments
Aesthetic B-roll of the city waking up
Drone footage that captures architectural silhouettes
Skyline, a premier film location in London with sweeping city views.
Understanding Sunrise: The Producer’s Perspective
Sunrise occurs when the upper limb of the Sun breaks the horizon. It shifts throughout the year, impacting everything from call sheets to gear loadouts.
In production planning, this affects:
Scheduling: The difference between 4:43 AM (June) and 8:06 AM (December) means massive changes in crew call times.
Light setups: Knowing when and where light will fall can reduce artificial lighting costs.
Location access: Royal Parks or public areas may have time-based access or noise restrictions—key for early setups.
Monthly Sunrise Time Breakdown for London
Summer (June): ~04:43 AM — Maximum daylight for long-form or high-coverage scenes.
Winter (Dec): ~08:06 AM — Later sunrises allow for easier crew starts, but with fewer shooting hours.
Spring/Autumn: Excellent compromise of light and temperature, e.g., 06:20 AM in March or 06:30 AM in September.
Tools to Plan Your Perfect Light
For location managers, DOPs and production coordinators, these tools are essential:
Sun Surveyor: Ideal for location recces; AR feature shows the Sun’s position.
Golden Hour (App): Helps with pinpointing golden/blue hour to the minute.
suncalc.org or timeanddate.com: Great for pre-scout calculations.
For SL clients, using these tools ensures every shot is designed around London’s unique lightscape, reducing reliance on artificial lighting.
Hackney Warehouse with rooftop warehouse views of Hackney Central
Best Film-Friendly Sunrise Spots in London
1. Skyline – At over 500 ft, this film location and event space is smack bang in the centre of of the city.
2. Wapping Carpark –Rooftop carpark popular on TikTok with a grunge automotive aesthetic and uninterrupted views of London.
3. Hackney Warehouse – Classic East London warehouse and former squat with sprawling rooftop access overlooking Hackney Central.
4. Kew House – Floor to ceiling windows in this modern masterpiece nestled in picturesque Kew.
5. Rooftop Workspace Waterloo – Modern glass office space at the top of a well known corporate building in Waterloo.
All of these locations are production favourites and have been used across films, commercials, and music videos.
How Daylight Saving Time Affects Shoot Schedules
Between March and October, the clocks go forward, shifting sunrise an hour later. It means fewer early starts, but also means less time to capture golden hour before traffic, noise or ambient lighting kicks in.
Kew House, a film location in London with extraordinary natural light.
Cultural Context for the Visual Storyteller
Sunrises in London have long inspired creators. From the poetry of Wordsworth to shots in films like 28 Days Later, dawn carries symbolism—fresh starts, emotional stillness, rebirth—that’s pure visual gold.
For filmmakers and photographers, these themes are a rich vein to explore in storytelling.
Tips for Capturing Cinematic Sunrise Shots
Arrive early (blue hour often starts 30–45 mins before sunrise).
Use a tripod to keep exposures crisp.
Scout ahead of time, considering lens flares, city obstructions and sunrise direction.
Use weather apps to avoid cloud cover or mist (unless that’s the desired look).
Rooftop Workspace Waterloo, a film location with a modern glass aesthetic and city views.
Final Take: Why Sunrise Matters for Your Next Shoot
In the world of film and production, natural light is your secret weapon, and sunrise gives you a narrow but spectacular window of cinematic brilliance. In a city as dynamic as London, the morning light doesn’t just illuminate—it elevates your story.
Whether you're producing branded content, a short film or a high-end commercial, let sunrise be the scene-stealer your shoot deserves.
Planning a Sunrise Shoot in London?
SL offers location scouting and production support for early morning shoots across the city. Our team prides itself on knowing London’s secret filming spots and represent an ever growing film location portfolio both in the UK and internationally. Reach out today to discuss your next production and location needs.
Alternatively, if you have a space perfect for a sunrise scene, then fill in our list your space form to know more.
