To create a warm golden hour look in Lightroom, warm the white balance slightly, then use the Color Grading wheels to add a golden-orange tint to the highlights and midtones and a gentle cool or soft magenta tone to the shadows. Finish with small HSL changes and a light glow. All values here are general guidance, since every photo needs its own balance.
Set the Foundation
- Choose a photo with soft directional light, or one with a neutral tone you can warm up.
- Correct exposure first. Golden hour light often has a bright sky and darker foreground, so lower Highlights and lift Shadows.
- Raise Temperature slightly, often by 300 to 800 Kelvin on a raw file, or move the Temperature slider toward yellow. Do not push it so far that the whole image turns orange.
- Add a touch of Tint toward magenta if skies look too green.
Use the Color Grading Wheels
The Color Grading panel gives you three wheels, for shadows, midtones and highlights, plus global and blending controls. Each wheel has a hue and a saturation setting, and a luminance slider.
| Wheel | Suggested direction | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Highlights | Golden yellow to orange, hue around 35 to 50 | Low to moderate |
| Midtones | Warm amber, hue around 30 to 45 | Very low |
| Shadows | Teal, blue or soft magenta for contrast | Low |
| Blending and Balance | Balance toward highlights for a warmer image | Adjust by eye |
Move one wheel at a time and use the Alt or Option key to see the effect clearly. Keep saturation low at first, because warm tints build up fast.
Refine with HSL and Masks
- Orange and yellow Hue: shift slightly toward gold if skin or grass looks too red or too green.
- Saturation: raise yellows and oranges a little, and reduce blues if they compete.
- Luminance: brighten oranges for glowing skin, and darken blues for a richer sky.
- Linear or radial mask: place a warm gradient from the side where the sun would be, using Temperature and a little Exposure.
- Dehaze and Clarity: use a small negative Clarity in a mask for soft glow, and keep Dehaze low.
Check for a Natural Result
- Look at skin tones first. They should be warm, not orange.
- Check white objects. They can have a warm cast, but should not look yellow.
- Compare with the original by pressing the backslash key.
- View the image at a smaller size to judge the overall mood.
- Save the settings as a preset and test it on other photos from the same scene.
FAQ
Can I fake golden hour on a midday photo?
You can warm the color, but harsh midday shadows still look like midday. A mask with a directional glow helps, though shooting in real golden hour light gives better results.
Why does my image look too orange?
You may have used too much warmth in several places at once. Lower the white balance shift or reduce saturation in the highlight wheel.
The Short Version
Warm the white balance gently, tint highlights and midtones golden, give the shadows a cooler contrast, and refine with HSL and masks. Work in small steps, protect skin tones and compare often against the original so the warmth feels natural.
