Getting Started with OwlPlot
A personal guide to getting the most out of OwlPlot in your first few days — from setting up locations to understanding that Photography Score.
Welcome to OwlPlot. I built this app because I was tired of checking five different apps before every shoot, so let me show you how to actually use it.
First Launch: Let It Know Where You Are
When you first open OwlPlot, it'll ask for location permission. Say yes. The entire app revolves around showing you conditions for your specific location. Sunrise in Seattle is different from sunrise in Miami.
If you're paranoid about privacy (fair), know that your location never leaves your device. All calculations happen locally. There's no server storing your coordinates.
The Dashboard: One Glance, All the Info
The main screen shows you everything you need:
Photography Score (0-100) — This is the headline number. It factors in cloud cover, precipitation, visibility, and wind. Above 70? Great conditions. Below 40? Maybe stay home unless you're into moody fog shots.
Sun Times — Sunrise, sunset, golden hour (morning and evening), blue hour. These are calculated to the minute for your exact GPS coordinates, not some city-center approximation.
Moon Info — Rise, set, phase, and illumination percentage. Critical for planning astrophotography (you want a new moon) or dramatic moonrise shots (full moon rising behind a landmark).
Save Your Favorite Spots
Tap the location icon to save spots you return to often. That overlook with the city view? Save it. Your favorite beach for sunrise? Save it. OwlPlot will calculate conditions for that exact spot, not just your current location.
The Weather Section
Scroll down for hourly weather. I pull this from Open-Meteo (great free API, by the way). Pay attention to:
- Cloud cover — The enemy of all outdoor photographers
- Visibility — Matters more than you'd think for landscape work
- Wind — Important for long exposures and keeping your tripod stable
One Week Challenge
Here's how I'd use OwlPlot in your first week:
Day 1-2: Just check the app morning and evening. Get a feel for how the Photography Score correlates with actual conditions outside your window.
Day 3-4: Plan one golden hour shoot. Use the app to pick the day with the best score, then show up 30 minutes before golden hour starts.
Day 5-7: Try the AR Sky View (iOS). Point your phone at the sky and see where the sun will set. It's surprisingly useful for scouting compositions.
That's it. No complicated setup. No accounts. Just open it and start planning better shots.
Clear skies.