Find your perfect shot
← Back to appView Finder tells you the best place to take photos right now — scored live against the current light, weather, and your preferences. No more guessing.
Every time you open the app, View Finder calculates a score out of 10 for every location based on what's happening right now — the position of the sun, the weather, how busy it is, and what kind of photos you want to take. The highest-scoring locations float to the top, so you always know where to go.
Live light conditions
Scores update in real time as the sun moves — golden hour locations rank highest during golden hour.
Live weather
Clear skies, dramatic clouds, fog, and rain all affect scores differently depending on the location.
Personalised to you
Your style, skill level, and transport choice shape every score — two photographers get different results.
Plan ahead
Switch to Sunrise, Sunset, or a custom time to see how scores will look later today.
Each location gets a score from 0–10 based on eight factors. Every factor is weighted and combined — a coastal cliff scores very differently at sunrise vs high noon, or in fog vs bright sun.
Style match
Does this location suit the type of photography you selected — landscape, street, architecture, portrait, etc.?
Light quality
Golden hour scores 10/10. Blue hour is close behind. Harsh midday sun scores low. Night scores high if you've selected night photography.
Sun direction
The best shots come when the sun is roughly side-on to the subject. Front-lit is flat; side-lit is ideal; back-lit is dramatic.
Weather suitability
Clear skies and dramatic cloud cover score well. Rain scores poorly for most styles. Fog scores well for moody landscape and architecture shots.
Crowd level
Each location has a base crowd level (1–5). Busy tourist spots score lower — especially relevant for street and portrait.
Access
Can you reach this location with your chosen transport? A remote coastal cliff scores zero if you're walking, high if you have a car.
Skill match
Some locations reward technical skill (manual exposure, ND filters, drone). Beginner-friendly spots score higher for beginners.
Tag match
If you've filtered by tags like 'drone-friendly', 'quiet', or 'accessible', locations with those tags score higher.
Filters don't hide locations — they reshape the scores so the right places rise to the top. Change them at any time and scores update instantly.
🎨 Style
Select one or more photography styles. A landscape photographer and a street photographer will get completely different rankings for the same location.
🎯 Skill level
Beginner — accessible spots with forgiving light and clear compositions.
Amateur — a mix of accessible and challenging; some technical shots recommended.
Pro — all locations unlocked; expects manual shooting, filters, and tripod use.
⏰ When
Now — scores based on the current moment.
Sunrise / Sunset — see which locations will score best at today's sunrise or sunset.
In 3 hours — useful for planning a session later today.
Custom time — pick any time and see scores as they'll be then.
🚗 Transport
Sets how far you're willing to travel. Walking limits you to a few kilometres; car opens up the whole region. Locations outside your range score near zero for access.
🏷️ Tags
Fine-tune with specific needs. Quiet boosts remote spots. Drone-friendly surfaces locations with airspace clearance. Accessible highlights places with easy parking and flat ground.
These are the two most important light windows for photography. View Finder detects them automatically and highlights them in the weather bar at the top of the screen.
✨ Golden hour
The ~40 minutes around sunrise and sunset when the sun is low and the light is warm, soft, and directional. The best light for almost every photography style.
🌙 Blue hour
The ~20 minutes just before sunrise and just after sunset. The sky turns a deep even blue — perfect for architecture, cityscapes, and coastal long exposures.
The top bar shows exactly when today's golden and blue hours start — with a countdown as they approach.
View Finder · viewfinderapp.co · Built for photographers