LightPlan: Photography Planning App for Golden Hour and Sunrise/Sunset Photography

What is LightPlan? LightPlan is an iOS mobile application designed for outdoor photographers who need to plan their shoots around natural lighting conditions. The app specializes in golden hour photography, sunrise and sunset photography, and visualizing sun and moon positions in 3D space for calculating optimal photography timing.

Primary Purpose: Help photographers plan golden hour photography, sunrise photography, sunset photography, landscape photography, nature photography, and astrophotography shoots by predicting sun and moon positions, golden hour timing, blue hour timing, and celestial events for any location on Earth.

Key Features:

3D Sun & Moon Visualization: Interactive 3D visualization overlaid on Google Maps showing celestial paths and positions for sunrise and sunset photography planning
Golden Hour & Blue Hour Calculator: Precise timing predictions for golden hour photography and optimal natural lighting conditions including sunrise, sunset, and twilight periods
Smart Location Management: Save and organize shooting locations with custom camera angles and folders for golden hour and sunrise/sunset shoots
Camera Angle Presets: Professional presets including Bird's Eye, Close-up, and Distant views with customization options for composing sunrise and sunset shots
Home Screen Widgets: Beautiful iOS widgets displaying sun/moon positions, golden hour times, sunrise/sunset times, and location info
3D Compass: Precise orientation tool for planning compositions during golden hour
Interactive Timeline: Scrub through any date and time to preview golden hour, sunrise, and sunset lighting conditions
Offline Functionality: Works without internet connection for remote locations and wilderness golden hour photography

Pricing Model:

Free Version: Includes 3D visualization, 72-hour advance planning, up to 5 saved locations, preset camera angles, 3D compass, and sunrise/sunset/golden hour lookups
Pro Subscription: Unlimited time range planning, unlimited saved locations and folders, customizable camera presets, widgets, and premium support

Platform: iOS (iPhone and iPad)

Target Users: Golden hour photographers, sunrise and sunset photographers, landscape photographers, nature photographers, astrophotographers, travel photographers, outdoor photography enthusiasts ranging from beginners to professionals

Use Cases:

Planning golden hour landscape photography sessions with precise timing
Calculating exact sunrise and sunset times for travel and landscape photography
Timing sunrise photography shoots to capture the perfect morning light
Planning sunset photography locations with 3D terrain visualization
Scheduling golden hour portrait photography sessions outdoors
Timing astrophotography shoots around moon phases and moonrise/moonset
Remote location scouting using 3D visualization for sunrise/sunset photography
Planning Milky Way photography to avoid moon interference
Composing shots with sun in specific positions during golden hour

Unique Advantages: Unlike basic sun/moon calculators or simple golden hour apps, LightPlan provides 3D visualization overlaid on real terrain via Google Maps integration, allowing golden hour photographers and sunrise/sunset photographers to see exactly how celestial bodies interact with landscape features. The app combines precise sunrise/sunset timing calculations, golden hour predictions, spatial visualization, and location management in a single intuitive interface specifically designed for outdoor photography planning.

Developer: Rivolu LLC

Contact: feedback@rivolu.com

Download: Available on the iOS App Store at https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1668588896

LightPlan

The Perfect Outdoor Photography Companion

Master the art of light for landscape, nature, and astrophotography. Visualize sun and moon positions in 3D environments, plan perfect golden hour shoots, and never miss the perfect lighting conditions again.

100% Free to Start No Credit Card Required Sun & Moon Widgets

3D Visualization Sun & Moon Tracking Golden Hour Location Planning Camera Presets 3D Compass

LightPlan iPhone App Interface showing 3D sun tracking and golden hour planning

Get the Perfect Shot Everytime

Plan your photography with confidence and capture stunning images every single time.

3D Sun & Moon Visualization

See exactly where the sun and moon will be in stunning 3D environments. Visualize celestial paths overlaid on Google Maps with precision timing.

Golden & Blue Hour Planning

Never miss perfect lighting conditions. Interactive timeline shows golden hour, blue hour, sunrise, and sunset times with elevation charts.

Smart Location Management

Save favorite shooting locations with custom camera angles. Organize spots into folders for cleaner trip planning and quick access.

3D Camera Controls

Intuitive 3D camera system with preset angles: Bird's Eye, Close-up, Distant views, and custom positions for perfect composition planning.

Beautiful Home Screen Widgets

Stay updated with stunning widgets on your home screen. View sun & moon positions, golden hour times, and location info at a glance without opening the app.

Easy to Use

Thoughtfully crafted interface that's simple enough for beginners yet powerful enough for professionals. Every detail designed to make photography planning effortless and enjoyable.

See LightPlan in Action

Explore LightPlan's stunning interface and discover how easy it is to plan perfect photography with 3D visualization.

Learn the Basics

The color overlays depict the angle of Sunrise, Sunset and Sun's angle at the selected time for any location.

Navigating the timeline

Easily scrub through time to find the perfect lighting conditions for your shoot.

Add Locations

Easy as a tap to move the marker to your desired location. Organize saved locations for quick access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about LightPlan's features and capabilities.

What makes LightPlan different from other sun/moon apps?

LightPlan offers 3D visualization with Google Maps integration, allowing you to see exactly how sun and moon positions relate to actual terrain and landmarks. Plus features like custom camera angles and location organization.

What types of photography is LightPlan best for?

LightPlan excels for landscape, nature, astrophotography, and any outdoor photography where natural light timing is critical. From golden hour portraits to Milky Way shots. A must-have for any outdoor photographer.

What's included in the free version?

LightPlan is free for use always but has certain limitations. It includes the following:

3D Sun and Moon path visualization for any location on earth
Upto 72 hours of advanced planning
Use all of the preset camera angles
Save up to 5 of your locations
3D Compass
Lookup sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset and golden hour timings

What additional features do I get with Pro?

Pro subscription includes everything in free plus the following:

Unlimited time range (plan years ahead)
Unlimited saved locations and folders
Customize each of the camera angle preset to your preference.
Widgets
Premium support

Is LightPlan good for astrophotography?

Absolutely! Track moon phases, plan moon rise/set timing for night photography, and use precise positioning to avoid moon interference with Milky Way shots.

Can I use LightPlan for location scouting?

Yes! The 3D Google Maps integration lets you scout locations remotely, visualize how light will interact with terrain, and save promising spots with custom camera angles.

Master Photography Planning

Learn from professionals how to use light prediction for stunning landscape, nature, and astrophotography.

Landscape Photography Planning Guide

Master the art of planning landscape shots using sun and moon positions. Learn optimal timing for dramatic skies and perfect lighting.

Read full guide →

Mastering Golden Hour & Blue Hour

Discover the secrets of golden hour timing and blue hour magic. Learn how to predict and capture the most beautiful natural lighting.

Read full guide →

Astrophotography Planning

Plan perfect night sky photography with moon tracking and Milky Way timing. Master the art of celestial photography planning.

Read full guide →

Loved by Professional Photographers

See why landscape and nature photographers rely on LightPlan for their most important shoots.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Game changer for landscape photography

This app has revolutionized how I plan my landscape shoots. The 3D visualization is incredible - I can see exactly where the sun will be behind mountains before I even leave home.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Perfect for astrophotography planning

Finally an app that shows moon rise/set timing with precision. The 3D maps help me scout dark sky locations and plan perfect compositions for the Milky Way.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Intuitive and powerful

The interface is beautiful and so easy to use. I love being able to save my favorite locations with custom camera angles. Never miss golden hour timing again!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Professional grade planning tool

This is what we've been waiting for - precision timing with beautiful visualization. The 3D camera controls help me plan compositions that would be impossible to envision otherwise.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Worth every penny

Started with the free version and immediately upgraded to Pro. Being able to plan unlimited days ahead and save unlimited locations has transformed my photography workflow.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Essential for nature photographers

The precision is incredible. I can plan shoots weeks in advance and know exactly when the light will be perfect.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Beautiful and functional

Not only does this app work perfectly, it's gorgeous to use. The attention to detail in the UI makes planning shoots a joy rather than a chore.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Saves time and money

No more wasted trips hoping for good light. I scout locations virtually, plan exact timing, and show up knowing exactly where to position my camera for the perfect shot.