Welcome to LightPlan
LightPlan is your ultimate photography planning companion, designed to help you capture perfect shots by predicting sun and moon positions with precision. Whether you're planning golden hour landscapes, astrophotography sessions, or any outdoor photography, LightPlan provides the tools you need to plan your shoots with confidence.
What Makes LightPlan Special
- 3D Visualization & Terrain: See exactly how light interacts with real elevation, mountains, and ridgelines using Google Maps and the 3D terrain map
- Precise Timing: Get accurate sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times
- Milky Way Planner: Find when and where the galactic core rises and which nights are in Milky Way season
- Moon Phase Calendar: See daily moon phases and illumination to pick dark-sky or full-moon nights
- Weather Overlays: Check cloud cover and precipitation forecasts as heatmaps before you go
- Location Management: Save and organize your favorite photography spots
- Custom Camera Angles: Preview shots from different perspectives
- Advanced Planning: Plan shoots days, weeks, or months in advance
This guide will walk you through all of LightPlan's features, helping you make the most of this powerful photography planning tool.
Understanding the Colors
LightPlan uses a theme of colors overlayed on top of the map to indicate the different positions of Sun and Moon.
Sunrise Angle
This color depicts the angle at which the sun rises.
Sunset Angle
This color depicts the angle at which the sun sets.
Moonrise Angle
This color depicts the angle at which the moon rises.
Moonset Angle
This color depicts the angle at which the moon sets.
Angle at Selected time
This color depicts the angle at which the sun/moon is positioned at the selected time.
Using the Timeline
Timeline Navigation
The timeline is LightPlan's core feature, showing you the complete light cycle for any date and location.
Timeline Views
- Elevation Chart: Shows the sun/moon's path across the sky with elevation angles
- Rise & Set View: Displays specific times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset
Time Control
- Tap the time indicator to open the date/time picker
- Choose any date to see future or past lighting conditions
- The timeline updates in real-time as you change the date
Saving Locations
Never lose track of great photography spots by saving them in LightPlan.
How to Save a Location
- Navigate to your desired location on the map
- Tap the "+" button in the top toolbar
- Enter a descriptive name for the location
- Optionally choose a folder to organize the location
- Tap "Save" to add it to your collection
Accessing Saved Locations
- Tap the location icon in the bottom toolbar
- Browse your saved locations by folder or view all
- Tap any location to jump there instantly
- Swipe left on any location to edit or delete it
Organizing Your Locations
As your collection of photography locations grows, LightPlan's folder system helps you stay organized.
Creating Folders
Organize locations by theme, region, or photography style:
- By Location: "National Parks," "Local Spots," "Urban Locations"
- By Photography Type: "Astrophotography," "Landscapes," "Portraits"
- By Season: "Spring Flowers," "Fall Colors," "Winter Scenes"
- By Project: "Wedding Locations," "Stock Photography," "Personal Projects"
Managing Locations
Moving Locations
Keep your locations organized by moving them between folders:
- Go to your saved locations
- Swipe left on any location
- Tap "Move" and select the destination folder
Share Locations With Friends
Swipe left on any saved location and tap "Share" to send it via email or messaging apps. Perfect for collaborating on shoot plans with fellow photographers.3D Terrain Map
Light is shaped by the land. LightPlan's 3D terrain map renders real elevation — mountains, ridgelines, cliffs, and valleys — so you can judge how the landscape will block or reveal the sun and moon long before you arrive at a location.
What the Terrain Map Helps You Do
- See true elevation: Tilt and rotate the map to view real mountain and valley relief instead of a flat plane.
- Check natural horizons: Find out whether a ridge will hide the sunrise or let it spill across your foreground.
- Plan around obstructions: Confirm that a peak, canyon wall, or hillside won't block the moon or Milky Way at the time you plan to shoot.
- Scout remotely: Combine the terrain view with saved locations to scout a spot from home and arrive knowing exactly where the light will fall.
Switching Map Views
LightPlan offers several map engines so you can plan the way that suits the shot. Open Map Settings to switch between them:
- Photorealistic 3D: Google's photorealistic 3D cities and landscapes.
- 2D Satellite: A flat, top-down satellite view for quick scouting.
- 3D Terrain: Real elevation terrain. Use the 2D/3D button to tilt into the relief or drop to a clean top-down map without leaving the terrain engine — your sun and moon paths stay aligned either way.
Compass Orientation
Tap the current-location button and the map orients to your device's compass heading (heading-up), so what's on screen matches the direction you're facing in the field. The compass button turns this on and off, or snaps the map back to north.
Pair It With Shadow View
Turn on Shadow View to see real-time shadows cast by terrain and buildings. Together with the terrain map, you'll know not just where the sun is, but exactly where light and shadow land in your scene throughout the day.Milky Way Planner & Moon Phases
Night photography lives and dies by two things: where the galactic core sits in the sky, and how much moonlight is washing it out. LightPlan brings both together so you can plan Milky Way and astrophotography sessions with confidence.
Using the Milky Way Planner
- Core rise & set: See when the Milky Way's galactic core becomes visible for your location and date.
- Direction & height: Check the core's azimuth and altitude so you can frame it above a chosen foreground rather than guessing.
- Milky Way season: Quickly tell whether a night falls within the window when the core is visible from your latitude.
- Milky Way widget: Add the home screen widget to glance at tonight's galactic core visibility without opening the app.
Reading the Moon Phase Calendar
The moon phase calendar shows new moons, full moons, and the illumination percentage for each day, and marks solar and lunar eclipses — letting you plan a month ahead at a glance.
- For the Milky Way & deep sky: Target the days around the new moon, when dark, moonless skies reveal the most detail.
- For night landscapes: Use brighter phases when you want the moon to light up the foreground.
- For moonrise compositions: Combine phase data with moonrise and moonset timing to place a full moon exactly where you want it.
- For eclipses: Tap a marked day for the eclipse details, along with that day's moonrise, sun and twilight times.
Plan the Whole Night in One Pass
Pick a new-moon night from the calendar, use the Milky Way planner to see where the core will rise, and check the terrain map to make sure no ridge is in the way — all before you leave home.Weather Overlay Layers
Perfect timing means nothing if the sky is socked in. LightPlan's weather overlay layers render forecast data as heatmaps directly on the map, so you can see at a glance whether conditions will cooperate.
Available Overlays
- Cloud cover forecast: A heatmap of expected cloudiness — find clear windows for the Milky Way, or the dramatic partial clouds that make sunrises and sunsets pop.
- Precipitation forecast: A heatmap showing where and when rain is expected, so you can dodge a washout or plan for moody, post-storm light.
Reading the Color Scales
Cloud cover — transparent where skies are clear, fading to white where the sky is fully overcast (0–100%).
Precipitation — light-blue drizzle, then green light rain, through yellow, orange, and red for heavier rain, up to purple for the most intense (0–50 mm/h).
Toggle the overlays on and scrub the timeline to watch conditions evolve across the hours, then choose the night and location that gives you the clearest — or most interesting — sky.
Combine Light, Land & Sky
For the strongest plan, line up all three: the right light from the timeline, a clear terrain horizon, and a favorable cloud cover forecast. When all three agree, you know it's worth the trip.Mastering Gesture Controls
LightPlan's intuitive gesture system lets you navigate and control the app efficiently. Master these gestures to streamline your planning workflow.
Timeline View Gestures
Control time and view options directly on the timeline:
Swipe Left/Right
Change the time forward or backward. Swipe right to advance time, left to go back. Perfect for quickly scrubbing through the day to find the perfect lighting moment.
Swipe Up/Down
Switch between timeline views. Swipe up or down to toggle between the elevation chart (showing sun/moon path) and rise & set view (showing specific times).
Double Tap
Reset to current date and time. When you're lost in time exploration, double-tap the timeline to instantly return to the present moment.
Map View Gestures
Navigate and explore your photography locations with these map controls:
Two-Finger Pinch
Zoom in and out of the map. Pinch together to zoom out for a broader view, or spread apart to zoom in for detailed location scouting.
Two-Finger Vertical Pan
Change camera tilt angle. Use two fingers to pan up or down on the map to adjust the 3D viewing angle. This helps you see how terrain affects sun and moon visibility.
Two-Finger Rotate
Rotate the map orientation. Use two fingers to rotate the map, helping you align the view with compass directions or your planned shooting angle.
Gesture Tips for Efficiency
Combine Gestures
Use multiple gestures together for fluid navigation. While scrubbing through time with horizontal swipes, you can simultaneously adjust the map view with two-finger controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about using LightPlan for photography planning.
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
- 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:
- Weather overlay layers (cloud cover & precipitation forecast heatmaps)
- Shadow View with real-time shadows
- Unlimited time range (plan years ahead)
- Unlimited saved locations and folders
- Home screen and lock screen widgets
- Customize each of the camera angle presets to your preference
- Premium support
- Coming soon: more Pro-only exclusive features
Can I plan shoots for different seasons?
Yes! With the Pro subscription, switch to any future or past date to see how lighting conditions change throughout the year. Perfect for planning seasonal photography projects.
With Pro subscription, is family sharing allowed?
Yes! With the Pro subscription, you can share your subscription with your family members as permitted by Apple's terms and conditions.
How do I plan a Milky Way shot?
Open the Milky Way planner to see when the galactic core rises and its direction and height in the sky, check the moon phase calendar for a dark, moonless night, and use the 3D terrain map to make sure no ridge blocks the view. The Milky Way home screen widget also shows tonight's visibility at a glance.
Can I see cloud cover and rain forecasts?
Yes, with a Pro subscription. Turn on the weather overlay layers to display cloud cover and precipitation forecasts as heatmaps on the map. Scrub the timeline to watch conditions change hour by hour and pick the clearest window for your shoot.
How does the terrain map help my planning?
The 3D terrain map renders real elevation, so you can tell whether mountains or ridgelines will block the sunrise, sunset, moon, or Milky Way before you travel. Combined with Shadow View, it shows exactly where light and shadow fall in your scene.
Can I switch between 2D and 3D maps?
Yes. Open Map Settings to choose between photorealistic 3D, a 2D satellite view, and a 3D terrain map. On the terrain map, the 2D/3D button flips between a tilted 3D view and a flat top-down map while keeping the same engine, and the map remembers which you used last.