All outdoor photographers soon learn that the best time to take photographs is at the beginning and the end of the day when the light is softer. During the day the light is generally too harsh when the sun is high in the sky and contrast is excessive and I rarely attempt to shoot landscapes then.

There are exceptions though like this image taken mid afternoon in summer. There was a thick blanket of cloud overhead but the sun was occasionally breaking through thinner areas. The diffusing effect of the cloud was softening the light and keeping contrast at manageable levels.

It isn't always the time of day that dictates when a photograph is worth taking. The quality of light at any given moment is what an outdoor photographer must learn to become sensitive to.

Date: 21/08/2016

Location: Great Fryupdale, North York Moors