Film production in Johannesburg
Between December and June, usable daylight in Johannesburg moves by 3h 16min — from 13h 46min down to 10h 30min. 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, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Johannesburg rises at 06:54 and sets at 17:24; the evening golden hour starts at 16:50 and runs for 34 minutes. By December that shifts to 05:11–18:57, with a 34-minute golden-hour window from 18:23.
In practice, a spread of 3h 16min 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 | 05:30 | 19:06 | 13h 36min | 18:33 |
| February | 05:53 | 18:52 | 12h 59min | 18:21 |
| March | 06:10 | 18:26 | 12h 16min | 17:55 |
| April | 06:24 | 17:53 | 11h 29min | 17:22 |
| May | 06:40 | 17:30 | 10h 51min | 16:57 |
| June | 06:54 | 17:24 | 10h 30min | 16:50 |
| July | 06:55 | 17:34 | 10h 38min | 17:00 |
| August | 06:38 | 17:49 | 11h 11min | 17:17 |
| September | 06:07 | 18:02 | 11h 55min | 17:31 |
| October | 05:34 | 18:15 | 12h 41min | 17:44 |
| November | 05:12 | 18:35 | 13h 23min | 18:03 |
| December | 05:11 | 18:57 | 13h 46min | 18:23 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Johannesburg starts at 17:40 in June and ends at 17:50 — a window of 10 minutes. In December it is 10 minutes from 19:13. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:26) and September (18:02) there are 24 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Johannesburg averages 16 rain days in December and 1 in June. A three-day exterior shoot in December statistically loses 1.6 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19.8 °C | 14 | 11.6 |
| February | 19.5 °C | 13 | 11.0 |
| March | 18.4 °C | 9 | 10.7 |
| April | 15.5 °C | 8 | 10.1 |
| May | 13.1 °C | 2 | 9.8 |
| June | 10.1 °C | 1 | 9.8 |
| July | 10.0 °C | 1 | 10.2 |
| August | 13.4 °C | 1 | 10.6 |
| September | 17.1 °C | 3 | 11.2 |
| October | 18.7 °C | 7 | 11.1 |
| November | 19.3 °C | 11 | 11.5 |
| December | 20.0 °C | 16 | 11.3 |
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 Johannesburg?
In June it starts at 16:50 and lasts 34 minutes; in December it starts at 18:23 and lasts 34 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Johannesburg get?
Between 10h 30min in June and 13h 46min in December. The 3h 16min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Johannesburg?
Combining daylight and rain days, August comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. December has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.