Film production in Ouarzazate
Between June and December, usable daylight in Ouarzazate moves by 3h 59min — from 14h 08min down to 10h 09min. 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 Ouarzazate rises at 06:25 and sets at 20:33; the evening golden hour starts at 19:58 and runs for 35 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:19–18:28, with a 37-minute golden-hour window from 17:52.
In practice, a spread of 3h 59min 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 | 08:27 | 18:48 | 10h 21min | 18:13 |
| February | 07:10 | 18:16 | 11h 06min | 17:42 |
| March | 06:39 | 18:36 | 11h 57min | 18:04 |
| April | 07:01 | 19:56 | 12h 55min | 19:23 |
| May | 06:33 | 20:16 | 13h 43min | 19:42 |
| June | 06:25 | 20:33 | 14h 08min | 19:58 |
| July | 06:35 | 20:33 | 13h 58min | 19:58 |
| August | 06:54 | 20:12 | 13h 17min | 19:39 |
| September | 07:13 | 19:35 | 12h 23min | 19:03 |
| October | 07:31 | 18:58 | 11h 27min | 18:25 |
| November | 07:55 | 18:31 | 10h 36min | 17:56 |
| December | 08:19 | 18:28 | 10h 09min | 17:52 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Ouarzazate starts at 20:50 in June and ends at 21:01 — a window of 11 minutes. In December it is 10 minutes from 18:45. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:36) and September (19:35) there are 59 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 Ouarzazate?
In June it starts at 19:58 and lasts 35 minutes; in December it starts at 17:52 and lasts 37 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Ouarzazate get?
Between 10h 09min in December and 14h 08min in June. The 3h 59min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Ouarzazate?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 08min of usable light.