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Sun & Moon Compass for Architecture Photography

Once on location, a live compass confirms the sun is actually where the plan expected — useful when a building's real surroundings (trees, neighbouring structures) weren't fully visible from planning at home.

Sun & Moon Compass for Architecture Photography

Open the Sun & Moon Compass

Recommended settings

  • Check the live compass against the planned facade before setting up a tripod, to confirm current light matches the plan.
  • Recheck periodically during a longer session, since the sun's position shifts meaningfully over 20-30 minutes.

Tips for this niche

  • Useful for last-minute repositioning if an unexpected obstruction — scaffolding, a tree in leaf — blocks the planned shooting angle.
  • Cross-check against the moon's position too for a twilight shot where a well-placed moon can add visual interest above the building.

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Example scenario

Arriving at a planned vantage point, the live compass shows the sun sitting slightly further along than expected due to a later-than-planned start — prompting a quick repositioning to recover the intended facade lighting before it shifts further.

Common mistakes

  • Not accounting for site changes since planning. construction, seasonal foliage or new structures can change what was visible when the shoot was originally planned — a live check on location catches this.
  • Setting up once and not rechecking as the session continues. over a 20-30 minute session, the sun's position shifts enough to matter for a precisely planned composition — recheck rather than assuming the initial setup stays valid.

FAQ

Why check the sun's position live if it was already planned?
Site conditions like scaffolding, seasonal foliage or a later-than-planned start can shift what actually works on the day — a live check confirms the plan still holds before committing to a shooting position.

Guides for this tool, by niche

Sun & Moon Compass for Landscape Photography

Troubleshooting

Why Can't I Line Up the Sun and Moon the Way I Planned?

Before the shoot

Architecture Photography shot list