Film production in Cartagena
Between June and December, usable daylight in Cartagena moves by 1h 13min — from 12h 44min down to 11h 31min. 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 Cartagena rises at 05:41 and sets at 18:25; the evening golden hour starts at 17:55 and runs for 30 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:12–17:44, with a 30-minute golden-hour window from 17:13.
In practice, a spread of 1h 13min 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 | 06:25 | 17:59 | 11h 35min | 17:29 |
| February | 06:23 | 18:11 | 11h 48min | 17:42 |
| March | 06:10 | 18:14 | 12h 04min | 17:46 |
| April | 05:52 | 18:13 | 12h 21min | 17:45 |
| May | 05:41 | 18:17 | 12h 36min | 17:48 |
| June | 05:41 | 18:25 | 12h 44min | 17:55 |
| July | 05:48 | 18:29 | 12h 40min | 17:59 |
| August | 05:53 | 18:21 | 12h 28min | 17:53 |
| September | 05:52 | 18:04 | 12h 11min | 17:36 |
| October | 05:51 | 17:45 | 11h 54min | 17:17 |
| November | 05:58 | 17:37 | 11h 39min | 17:07 |
| December | 06:12 | 17:44 | 11h 31min | 17:13 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Cartagena starts at 18:39 in June and ends at 18:48 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 17:58. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:14) and September (18:04) there are 10 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 Cartagena?
In June it starts at 17:55 and lasts 30 minutes; in December it starts at 17:13 and lasts 30 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Cartagena get?
Between 11h 31min in December and 12h 44min in June. The 1h 13min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Cartagena?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 12h 44min of usable light.