In this xdrive photography lesson, Raj  notes that for about an hour during sunrise and again at sunset, photographers are gifted with what is known as the “golden hour” or “magic light.”  Generally the sun’s light is diffused and soft during these two time periods.

In the image below, I chose to combine Raj’s golden hour lesson with a personal study of  the rule of odds.  This image was created about 40 minutes before sunset with what I identified as cirrostratus clouds to the west of my home.  In the past, I have found that the quality of light during the hour before and after sunset is often times influenced by both western clouds as well as the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.