Film production in Richmond
Between June and December, usable daylight in Richmond moves by 5h 09min — from 14h 44min down to 9h 35min. 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 Richmond rises at 05:49 and sets at 20:33; the evening golden hour starts at 19:54 and runs for 39 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:18–16:53, with a 41-minute golden-hour window from 16:13.
In practice, a spread of 5h 09min 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 | 07:24 | 17:15 | 9h 51min | 16:36 |
| February | 07:00 | 17:49 | 10h 49min | 17:13 |
| March | 07:22 | 19:17 | 11h 55min | 18:43 |
| April | 06:36 | 19:45 | 13h 10min | 19:10 |
| May | 06:01 | 20:13 | 14h 11min | 19:35 |
| June | 05:49 | 20:33 | 14h 44min | 19:54 |
| July | 06:01 | 20:32 | 14h 31min | 19:53 |
| August | 06:26 | 20:04 | 13h 37min | 19:28 |
| September | 06:52 | 19:19 | 12h 27min | 18:45 |
| October | 07:18 | 18:34 | 11h 16min | 17:59 |
| November | 06:50 | 17:00 | 10h 10min | 16:22 |
| December | 07:18 | 16:53 | 9h 35min | 16:13 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Richmond starts at 20:52 in June and ends at 21:04 — a window of 12 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 17:11. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:17) and September (19:19) there are 2 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 Richmond?
In June it starts at 19:54 and lasts 39 minutes; in December it starts at 16:13 and lasts 41 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Richmond get?
Between 9h 35min in December and 14h 44min in June. The 5h 09min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Richmond?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 44min of usable light.