Film production in Hangzhou
Between June and December, usable daylight in Hangzhou moves by 3h 52min — from 14h 05min down to 10h 13min. 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 Hangzhou rises at 04:58 and sets at 19:03; the evening golden hour starts at 18:28 and runs for 35 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:49–17:01, with a 36-minute golden-hour window from 16:25.
In practice, a spread of 3h 52min 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 | 06:57 | 17:21 | 10h 24min | 16:46 |
| February | 06:41 | 17:48 | 11h 07min | 17:15 |
| March | 06:11 | 18:08 | 11h 57min | 17:36 |
| April | 05:34 | 18:27 | 12h 53min | 17:55 |
| May | 05:07 | 18:46 | 13h 40min | 18:13 |
| June | 04:58 | 19:03 | 14h 05min | 18:28 |
| July | 05:08 | 19:04 | 13h 55min | 18:29 |
| August | 05:27 | 18:43 | 13h 16min | 18:10 |
| September | 05:44 | 18:07 | 12h 23min | 17:35 |
| October | 06:02 | 17:30 | 11h 29min | 16:58 |
| November | 06:25 | 17:04 | 10h 39min | 16:30 |
| December | 06:49 | 17:01 | 10h 13min | 16:25 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Hangzhou starts at 19:20 in June and ends at 19:31 — a window of 11 minutes. In December it is 10 minutes from 17:18. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:08) and September (18:07) there are 1 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 Hangzhou?
In June it starts at 18:28 and lasts 35 minutes; in December it starts at 16:25 and lasts 36 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Hangzhou get?
Between 10h 13min in December and 14h 05min in June. The 3h 52min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Hangzhou?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 05min of usable light.