The sun has finally been out a few consecutive days, so I've been out and about looking for shadows. This photo was taken during golden hour.

So what is golden hour as far as photography? The down and dirty definition, according to Wikipedia, is "a period shortly after sunrise or before sunset during which daylight is redder and softer than when the sun is higher in the sky."

So why is this period of time so special? Notice the warm, golden glow on the house. This is not the result of post-producing, but straight out of my camera.

I've discovered photographing shadows at this special hour also means blue-toned shadows, an added bonus.

If you want something to do on a lazy day this summer, pick a subject and photograph it at different times of the day. Compare the photos side-by-side and come to your own conclusion on when your subject looks the best.

It's a great exercise.

Be sure to grab your camera this weekend!