Best time of day to take photos?

Many times we go out to take photos during mid-day when it's convenient for us, but photos taken at this time when the sun is it's brightest and high in the sky can result in a washed out look for colors as well as overly bright and overly dark areas because of the great difference in brightness of areas in the sun vs shade.

So, a little extra thought about lighting and it's effect on your photos can really help your photography. I just learned a great rule of thumb for when the lighting is best for photography:

"Shoot when your shadow is longer than you are tall"

The exception is overcast days. When it's bright, but overcast (meaning you can see your shadow, but it's a fuzzy blob on the ground rather than a sharp-lined silhouette) it's a great time to take close-up photos of flowers, insects, and any other photos that don't include the sky (because white or gray skies are pretty boring).

So, pay attention to your shadow to gage the lighting conditions and improve your photography!