Like let’s assume 10am and 6pm are the same relative angles of sun in the sky- why isn’t the lighting identical warmth in photos?
In: Physics
Angle isn’t everything. The answer is a difference in atmospheric conditions. Mornings tend to be more…moist. There’s more moisture in the air so the light refracts differently. Add to that the change in temperature. Mornings go from cool to warm. Evenings go from warm to cool.
Temperature DOES effect color surprisingly, on a small scale:
“We frequently get calls from customers who can’t figure out why their measurements vary, even when they’re using maintained devices. Why would a sample read one way one day, then slightly different another? Many times the culprit is thermochromaticity, and it becomes an even bigger problem as the seasons change.
Every kind of material changes color with temperature. These changes cause the material to exhibit a shift in reflected wavelengths of light, which can alter our perception. Often the color shift is so slight the naked eye would never notice. But if your job is to quality check color critical products, you need to fully understand how thermochromaticity can impact your color, your measurements, and your ability to pass inspection.” (see source here: [https://www.xrite.com/blog/temperature-affects-color-measurements](https://www.xrite.com/blog/temperature-affects-color-measurements) )
Now the difference isn’t much, but there IS a difference.
However, in film, some of the scenes you think are sunset scenes are actually sunrise scenes and vice versa.
So some reasons why:
1. Moisture in the air/atmosphere.
2. A higher number of pollutants present in the air at night.
3. Your own expectations coloring the scene.
4. Actual differences in perceived color (when measured by a spectrometer) due to temperature, though these are negligible.
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