Film production in Pretoria
Between December and June, usable daylight in Pretoria moves by 3h 12min — from 13h 44min down to 10h 32min. 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 Pretoria rises at 06:52 and sets at 17:25; the evening golden hour starts at 16:50 and runs for 34 minutes. By December that shifts to 05:11–18:55, with a 33-minute golden-hour window from 18:22.
In practice, a spread of 3h 12min 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 | 19:04 | 13h 34min | 18:31 |
| February | 05:53 | 18:51 | 12h 58min | 18:20 |
| March | 06:09 | 18:25 | 12h 16min | 17:55 |
| April | 06:23 | 17:53 | 11h 30min | 17:22 |
| May | 06:38 | 17:30 | 10h 52min | 16:58 |
| June | 06:52 | 17:25 | 10h 32min | 16:50 |
| July | 06:53 | 17:34 | 10h 40min | 17:00 |
| August | 06:37 | 17:49 | 11h 12min | 17:17 |
| September | 06:06 | 18:01 | 11h 55min | 17:31 |
| October | 05:33 | 18:14 | 12h 40min | 17:43 |
| November | 05:12 | 18:33 | 13h 22min | 18:01 |
| December | 05:11 | 18:55 | 13h 44min | 18:22 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Pretoria starts at 17:40 in June and ends at 17:50 — a window of 10 minutes. In December it is 10 minutes from 19:11. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:25) and September (18:01) there are 24 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 Pretoria?
In June it starts at 16:50 and lasts 34 minutes; in December it starts at 18:22 and lasts 33 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Pretoria get?
Between 10h 32min in June and 13h 44min in December. The 3h 12min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Pretoria?
On daylight length alone, December is strongest with 13h 44min of usable light.