Film production in Cincinnati
Between June and December, usable daylight in Cincinnati moves by 5h 28min — from 14h 54min down to 9h 26min. 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 Cincinnati rises at 06:12 and sets at 21:06; the evening golden hour starts at 20:26 and runs for 40 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:51–17:17, with a 42-minute golden-hour window from 16:35.
In practice, a spread of 5h 28min 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 | 07:56 | 17:40 | 9h 43min | 16:59 |
| February | 07:31 | 18:16 | 10h 45min | 17:38 |
| March | 07:50 | 19:45 | 11h 55min | 19:10 |
| April | 07:02 | 20:15 | 13h 13min | 19:39 |
| May | 06:26 | 20:45 | 14h 19min | 20:06 |
| June | 06:12 | 21:06 | 14h 54min | 20:26 |
| July | 06:25 | 21:04 | 14h 39min | 20:25 |
| August | 06:52 | 20:35 | 13h 43min | 19:58 |
| September | 07:20 | 19:48 | 12h 28min | 19:13 |
| October | 07:48 | 19:01 | 11h 13min | 18:25 |
| November | 07:22 | 17:25 | 10h 03min | 16:46 |
| December | 07:51 | 17:17 | 9h 26min | 16:35 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Cincinnati starts at 21:26 in June and ends at 21:39 — a window of 13 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 17:36. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:45) and September (19:48) there are 3 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 Cincinnati?
In June it starts at 20:26 and lasts 40 minutes; in December it starts at 16:35 and lasts 42 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Cincinnati get?
Between 9h 26min in December and 14h 54min in June. The 5h 28min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Cincinnati?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 54min of usable light.