Film production in Ottawa
Between June and December, usable daylight in Ottawa moves by 6h 55min — from 15h 39min down to 8h 44min. 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 Ottawa rises at 05:15 and sets at 20:54; the evening golden hour starts at 20:08 and runs for 46 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:37–16:21, with a 49-minute golden-hour window from 15:32.
In practice, a spread of 6h 55min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:40 | 16:46 | 9h 06min | 15:59 |
| February | 07:06 | 17:30 | 10h 25min | 16:48 |
| March | 07:16 | 19:09 | 11h 52min | 18:30 |
| April | 06:18 | 19:49 | 13h 30min | 19:09 |
| May | 05:33 | 20:27 | 14h 53min | 19:44 |
| June | 05:15 | 20:54 | 15h 39min | 20:08 |
| July | 05:29 | 20:49 | 15h 20min | 20:05 |
| August | 06:04 | 20:12 | 14h 08min | 19:31 |
| September | 06:42 | 19:16 | 12h 34min | 18:37 |
| October | 07:19 | 18:19 | 11h 00min | 17:39 |
| November | 07:02 | 16:34 | 9h 32min | 15:49 |
| December | 07:37 | 16:21 | 8h 44min | 15:32 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Ottawa starts at 21:16 in June and ends at 21:31 — a window of 15 minutes. In December it is 13 minutes from 16:42. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:09) and September (19:16) there are 7 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 Ottawa?
In June it starts at 20:08 and lasts 46 minutes; in December it starts at 15:32 and lasts 49 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Ottawa get?
Between 8h 44min in December and 15h 39min in June. The 6h 55min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Ottawa?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 15h 39min of usable light.