Film production in Reykjavík
Between June and December, usable daylight in Reykjavík moves by 16h 48min — from 21h 02min down to 4h 14min. 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, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Reykjavík rises at 02:58 and sets at 00:00; the evening golden hour starts at 22:05 and runs for 115 minutes. By December that shifts to 11:17–15:30, with a null-minute golden-hour window from null.
In practice, a spread of 16h 48min 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 | 10:56 | 16:19 | 5h 23min | |
| February | 09:25 | 18:01 | 8h 36min | 16:42 |
| March | 07:48 | 19:27 | 11h 39min | 18:23 |
| April | 05:57 | 21:00 | 15h 03min | 19:54 |
| May | 04:14 | 22:36 | 18h 22min | 21:12 |
| June | 02:58 | 00:00 | 21h 02min | 22:05 |
| July | 03:41 | 23:27 | 19h 46min | 21:50 |
| August | 05:19 | 21:47 | 16h 28min | 20:36 |
| September | 06:51 | 19:57 | 13h 06min | 18:54 |
| October | 08:18 | 18:11 | 9h 53min | 17:01 |
| November | 09:57 | 16:30 | 6h 34min | 14:32 |
| December | 11:17 | 15:30 | 4h 14min |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Reykjavík starts at null in June and ends at null — a window of null minutes. In December it is 27 minutes from 16:22. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:27) and September (19:57) there are 30 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Reykjavík averages 19 rain days in May and 14 in August. A three-day exterior shoot in May statistically loses 1.9 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -0.6 °C | 18 | 1.5 |
| February | -0.1 °C | 17 | 3.4 |
| March | 0.8 °C | 17 | 6.1 |
| April | 3.7 °C | 17 | 7.5 |
| May | 6.3 °C | 19 | 9.4 |
| June | 9.2 °C | 16 | 9.1 |
| July | 11.1 °C | 16 | 9.6 |
| August | 10.7 °C | 14 | 8.8 |
| September | 8.1 °C | 18 | 6.2 |
| October | 4.9 °C | 18 | 4.3 |
| November | 2.1 °C | 16 | 2.2 |
| December | -0.4 °C | 18 | 0.7 |
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 Reykjavík?
In June it starts at 22:05 and lasts 115 minutes; in December it starts at null and lasts null minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Reykjavík get?
Between 4h 14min in December and 21h 02min in June. The 16h 48min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Reykjavík?
Combining daylight and rain days, June comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.