The When is just as important as the How

A remarkable setting plus an unremarkable time of day can equal an ordinary photograph—and ordinary isn't the goal. You know what I'm talking about. Sure, there are any number of ways to deal with poor-quality light, but the simplest and best solution, by far, is to adjust when you're actually taking a photograph.
Time Of Day
I can't stress enough that it's "all about the light." The time of day the image is taken has so much influence on the success of a photo. The best shoot¬ing occurs at "sweet light"—when the light imparts warm tones and soft illu¬mination. Sweet light peaks during the first 30 minutes of a sunrise and during the last 30 minutes of a sunset. During this time, you'll find the most attractive shades of yellow, red and orange filtering through the horizon. If you're using a D-SLR, look for a white-balance feature that will act as a built-in warming filter. For instance, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-L1 has a "cloudy" white-balance setting that enhances beautiful sunsets and sunrises.
Direction Of Light
Governed by subject matter, the direc¬tion of light can make or break an image. Front light can be effective when try¬ing to capture an evenly lit subject with¬out any shadows or textures, but its lack of contrasting tones makes it a poor choice for shooting landscapes.
Instead, work with sidelight, which reveals textures, patterns and shapes. Suddenly your subject becomes defined. How you compose the shadows and high-
lights determines how dramatic the photo will be. Shadows will recess details, while highlights will bring details for¬ward, giving a three-dimensional effect to your images.
Go Beyond The Obvious
Show your creativity by looking beyond the obvious shot. Whatever subject inspired you to point your lens toward it in the first place should be captured in as many fresh and interesting ways as possible. Don't be complacent with just one shot. Instead, exhaust all possibilities.
If you took a shot of the mountains horizontally, flip your camera and take it vertically. If you photographed a field of flowers from a standing position, get on your stomach and shoot it from eye-level to create a unique perspective. You'll be surprised by the interesting shots that weren't obvious at first, but prove to be the best ones of the day.