Film production in Durban
Between December and June, usable daylight in Durban moves by 3h 49min — from 14h 03min down to 10h 14min. 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 Durban rises at 06:50 and sets at 17:04; the evening golden hour starts at 16:28 and runs for 36 minutes. By December that shifts to 04:50–18:53, with a 35-minute golden-hour window from 18:18.
In practice, a spread of 3h 49min 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 | 05:10 | 19:01 | 13h 51min | 18:27 |
| February | 05:37 | 18:45 | 13h 08min | 18:12 |
| March | 05:57 | 18:15 | 12h 18min | 17:43 |
| April | 06:15 | 17:38 | 11h 23min | 17:06 |
| May | 06:34 | 17:12 | 10h 38min | 16:38 |
| June | 06:50 | 17:04 | 10h 14min | 16:28 |
| July | 06:51 | 17:14 | 10h 24min | 16:39 |
| August | 06:31 | 17:32 | 11h 02min | 16:59 |
| September | 05:56 | 17:49 | 11h 53min | 17:17 |
| October | 05:19 | 18:06 | 12h 47min | 17:34 |
| November | 04:53 | 18:30 | 13h 36min | 17:56 |
| December | 04:50 | 18:53 | 14h 03min | 18:18 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Durban starts at 17:20 in June and ends at 17:31 — a window of 10 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 19:10. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:15) and September (17:49) there are 26 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 June, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Durban?
In June it starts at 16:28 and lasts 36 minutes; in December it starts at 18:18 and lasts 35 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Durban get?
Between 10h 14min in June and 14h 03min in December. The 3h 49min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Durban?
On daylight length alone, December is strongest with 14h 03min of usable light.