Film production in Columbus
Between June and December, usable daylight in Columbus moves by 5h 39min — from 15h 00min down to 9h 21min. 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 Columbus rises at 06:04 and sets at 21:03; the evening golden hour starts at 20:22 and runs for 41 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:47–17:09, with a 43-minute golden-hour window from 16:26.
In practice, a spread of 5h 39min 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 | 07:53 | 17:31 | 9h 39min | 16:50 |
| February | 07:26 | 18:08 | 10h 42min | 17:31 |
| March | 07:44 | 19:39 | 11h 55min | 19:03 |
| April | 06:55 | 20:10 | 13h 15min | 19:34 |
| May | 06:18 | 20:41 | 14h 23min | 20:02 |
| June | 06:04 | 21:03 | 15h 00min | 20:22 |
| July | 06:16 | 21:01 | 14h 44min | 20:21 |
| August | 06:44 | 20:30 | 13h 46min | 19:53 |
| September | 07:14 | 19:43 | 12h 29min | 19:07 |
| October | 07:43 | 18:54 | 11h 11min | 18:17 |
| November | 07:18 | 17:17 | 9h 59min | 16:37 |
| December | 07:47 | 17:09 | 9h 21min | 16:26 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Columbus starts at 21:23 in June and ends at 21:36 — a window of 13 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:27. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:39) and September (19:43) there are 4 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 Columbus?
In June it starts at 20:22 and lasts 41 minutes; in December it starts at 16:26 and lasts 43 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Columbus get?
Between 9h 21min in December and 15h 00min in June. The 5h 39min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Columbus?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 15h 00min of usable light.