Search the web or read popular books on digital photography and you’ll find advice sugesting not taking photos in harsh sunlight, such as the middle of the day.
While true that some of the most interesting lighting occurs in the morning, evenings or on overcast days, there’s great shots to be had during those bright sunlight hours as well.
Epic Edits Weblog has a post by Brian Auer titled “Challenge Yourself: Shoot in Harsh Sunlight” that not only discusses some of the “reasons” people complain about direct sunlight but also gives some basic pointers for shooting in those conditions.
One of pointers I liked was to:
Seek out subjects that produce interesting shadows, or even make the shadows the subject.
What adjustments do you make when you shoot in direct sunlight or do you avoid it at all cost?
If I go out to shoot in the middle of the day, I eschew the standard shots of flowers, water, etc. Instead, I may opt for buildings, clouds, statues, or perhaps people doing interesting things. When I do take that rare trip into the ‘light’, I’m always thinking black and white because color, most times, just gets washed out, but high contrast b&w can be quite fetching. :-)