I’ve often heard it said of landscape photography that if you want to take better photos, you have to put yourself in front of better subjects. I’ve also often heard it said that you should only shoot in ‘good light’, meaning the Golden Hour and, possibly, the Blue Hour, that period of time leading up to and a little beyond sunrise and sunset. These people will often say to never shoot in the hours between, when the sun is higher in the sky, that you can’t get great photos then. They propose that that is the time to go home and nap or work on the computer editing or doing anything other than being outside with a camera. They do usually add a few caveats to that, however. If it’s overcast, they’ll say it’s ok to shoot all day long so long as you’ve got the right subject and don’t include the sky. Or, if you’re doing black and white, as long as there are some white puffy clouds in the blue sky, it’s ok to shoot in the ‘harsh’ midday light because it’s high contrast, which makes for better black and white photos.

      I have to say that I don’t agree with these generalizations, or at least, not the intention behind them. Yes, if you take a photo of an amazing location, you will find it to be a better photo than one of your ‘ordinary’ surroundings. Just like if you take a photo of a spectacular sunrise or sunset, it will be a better photo than one you take of the same location under ‘normal’ lighting. This is simply to do with the wow factor inherent in the scene. The setting is already extraordinary, so that raises the level of the photograph without any extra effort on the part of the photographer.

This photo was taken as I was driving to a local store to pick up dinner. It's not a spectacular location, but the color, clouds, and light beams make it a great photo. Kennebunk, Maine

      Now, don’t get me wrong. I love awe-inspiring places and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. And, I’m not knocking anyone’s abilities. A skilled photographer can take an exquisite photo of such a place or time and make it absolutely jaw-dropping. Instead, what I’m saying is that if you want to become a better photographer, you need some education on the science and mechanics so you can take control and make the photo you want in camera with as little post-processing as necessary. You also need to develop an artistic eye, and if that doesn’t come naturally, some art courses will help there. Finally, you need to learn to see and accept that there is beauty all around us, in everything, no matter how small or mundane. If you can learn to make an image of something or someplace that isn’t the ‘prettiest’ or isn’t in the ‘best light’ but that still resonates with people, then that marks you as a truly accomplished photographer.

      One of my favorite things to do is hop in the car and go explore. I bring my map and my camera, never knowing where I’ll end up or what I’ll see. If I want to go out and make great photos, I certainly don’t let the weather or time of day dissuade me, and I don’t take those maxims to heart. If it’s a bright blue-sky sunny day, the blue sky and sun cheer me and make it even more fun. If it’s overcast and grey, I still go off to see what I can see in hopes of finding something new or visiting an ‘old friend’ in a different light. I’m always trying to attain that next level of photography, to increase my skill while enjoying the world around me. And, to that end, I go out with my camera whenever I can, whenever the mood strikes me, no matter what.

I had spent the morning in Acadia National Park. It was gorgeous out, and I had a lot of fun that day. This is one of my favorite photos, even though it was a blue sky in the 'harsh' midday light. Winter Harbor, Maine

      When you hear photographers making those kinds of statements, it can feel like a cop-out, like they don’t really want to give you any advice on how to get better. Or, even worse, it can feel like they’re looking down on you because you don’t shoot only at those times or only in those types of places. Don’t let that get you down or discourage you. Instead, I like to think that they really are trying to help, telling us what they truly believe. They consider these things to be rules or, at the very least, guidelines to follow to improve the quality of their own photography, and thus want to share that philosophy with others. Because, there is some truth to all of it, as I said.

      The trick is to be accepting and say that if that’s what they want to do with their photography, that’s ok. But, if I/you/we want to do something else/different/more, that’s ok too. Photography is an art, and as such, it’s very subjective. A photo that one person may love, another might not ‘get’ at all and not like it, and that’s ok. Likewise, while a location may seem ‘ordinary’ and blah to one person, it may be truly exciting and exotic to someone else. So, don’t be afraid to photograph wherever and whenever you want of any subject matter that catches your eye. It’s all important and all practice towards becoming an even better photographer.

It was a grey, overcast day, but I didn't let that stop me from going out with my camera. I went down to the harbor and was lucky enough that the sun peaked out to throw some highlights on the scene. Kennebunkport, Maine