Film production in Honolulu
Between June and December, usable daylight in Honolulu moves by 2h 34min — from 13h 25min down to 10h 51min. 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 Honolulu rises at 05:50 and sets at 19:15; the evening golden hour starts at 18:43 and runs for 32 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:02–17:53, with a 33-minute golden-hour window from 17:20.
In practice, a spread of 2h 34min 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 | 07:12 | 18:11 | 10h 59min | 17:39 |
| February | 07:03 | 18:30 | 11h 27min | 18:00 |
| March | 06:41 | 18:42 | 12h 01min | 18:12 |
| April | 06:13 | 18:51 | 12h 38min | 18:21 |
| May | 05:54 | 19:03 | 13h 09min | 18:32 |
| June | 05:50 | 19:15 | 13h 25min | 18:43 |
| July | 05:59 | 19:17 | 13h 18min | 18:46 |
| August | 06:11 | 19:03 | 12h 52min | 18:33 |
| September | 06:19 | 18:36 | 12h 16min | 18:06 |
| October | 06:28 | 18:08 | 11h 40min | 17:38 |
| November | 06:43 | 17:51 | 11h 07min | 17:19 |
| December | 07:02 | 17:53 | 10h 51min | 17:20 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Honolulu starts at 19:31 in June and ends at 19:40 — a window of 10 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 18:08. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:42) and September (18:36) there are 6 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 Honolulu?
In June it starts at 18:43 and lasts 32 minutes; in December it starts at 17:20 and lasts 33 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Honolulu get?
Between 10h 51min in December and 13h 25min in June. The 2h 34min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Honolulu?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 13h 25min of usable light.