In photography, the golden hour is roughly the first hour of light after sunrise and the last hour of light before sunset, during which daylight is redder and softer. The warm colors the low sun produces during these blocks are considered the most desirable, particularly in outdoor photography.
For this week's Mashable Photo Challenge, take advantage of these hours. Both portraits and landscape shots will look a little more flattering without the harsh sun.
Our guest host is Jonas Thomasson, a photographer who shoots almost exclusively during the golden hour near his home in Spain.
Thomsson took an interest in photography after enrolling in classes in high school. He didn't, however, consider it his passion until he joined Instagram in 2012.
"I love being able to see shots from all over the world, and see beautiful places and get inspired," he said.
Thomsson's feed is filled with breathtaking snapshots taken during the golden hour; he makes nature look like paintings.
"I just love how the light during the golden hour gives such warmness to the shots," he said. "A successful golden hour submission would, in my opinion, not just be about the light but also about evoking an emotion."