Film production in Calgary
Between June and December, usable daylight in Calgary moves by 8h 35min — from 16h 31min down to 7h 56min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Calgary rises at 05:22 and sets at 21:53; the evening golden hour starts at 21:00 and runs for 53 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:34–16:31, with a 60-minute golden-hour window from 15:30.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 44 and 60 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:34 | 16:59 | 8h 25min | 16:03 |
| February | 07:50 | 17:53 | 10h 03min | 17:05 |
| March | 07:51 | 19:41 | 11h 50min | 18:57 |
| April | 06:42 | 20:32 | 13h 50min | 19:47 |
| May | 05:47 | 21:20 | 15h 33min | 20:31 |
| June | 05:22 | 21:53 | 16h 31min | 21:00 |
| July | 05:40 | 21:46 | 16h 06min | 20:55 |
| August | 06:24 | 20:59 | 14h 35min | 20:13 |
| September | 07:12 | 19:52 | 12h 40min | 19:09 |
| October | 08:00 | 18:45 | 10h 45min | 18:00 |
| November | 07:54 | 16:50 | 8h 56min | 15:57 |
| December | 08:34 | 16:31 | 7h 56min | 15:30 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Calgary starts at 22:21 in June and ends at 22:40 — a window of 19 minutes. In December it is 15 minutes from 16:55. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:41) and September (19:52) there are 11 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Calgary?
In June it starts at 21:00 and lasts 53 minutes; in December it starts at 15:30 and lasts 60 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Calgary get?
Between 7h 56min in December and 16h 31min in June. The 8h 35min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Calgary?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 16h 31min of usable light.