The golden hours are two hours in a day that are very good for photographers. These two hours occur right after sunrise and right before sunset and are generally longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. You, may be wondering why these two hours are known as the best for great shots, however, during the early morning and late afternoon, the sun is positioned for dramatic lighting, but will not create harsh shadows or blazes of light, especially when shooting with people.

You may have noticed that if you take a subject outside to shoot a little bit before noon one of the three possibilities. First, your subject trying not to squint into the sun could ruin your picture. Second, your subject is too dark because they are standing with their back to the sun, creating a silhouette effect.

Lastly, your subject’s face and features look distorted because standing with the sun at one side creates awkward shadows. None of the options can product a good produce a good photograph. During the noontime hour, all the shadows will totally disappear, giving the picture a flat appearance. Sunrise and sunset provide just the right kind of lighting and shadows, and also a beautiful photographic opportunity in many cases, since the colors are so beautiful in the sky.

When it comes to a cloudy day or overcast, you can still get some great pictures. The clouds in the sky diffuse the light so that the subject is illuminated with natural light, but the harsh shadows are gone. You will want to use a flash if the pictures look to flat, but you may also want to shoot in black and white, instead of color.  Black and white photography works very well on overcast days when the colors would look washed out.

For all those rainy days you may not realize, but you can still get some shots. Rain will add an interesting element to the image and you will still be able get to a good picture. However, you will find that the wet ground will make you want to protect your equipment from water. You will also want to consider bringing some other people to hold the umbrellas or carry the bags so that they do not have to be placed on the ground. You will also want to consider getting all your shots and use the rain to make a great and stunning effect on the pictures. However, you will want to make sure that you try your hardest to keep an positive attitude so that you can get some great shots