Photography on cloudy days??

So...what do you all photograph when it's cloudy out? Just looking for ideas.

Thanks!!

More!

That's not a glib answer. Due to the softer light, narrower latitude, and more distinct moods possible, I shoot a much broader range of subjects on cloudy days than sunny ones. Portraits are especially good, but landcapes work great too. Leave the clouds in frame or keep them out, but it's actually easier to shoot on cloudy days than sunny ones.

Even for avian??

Depends on the avian subject. If I'm shooting ravens, I want sun on them to bring out detail. If I'm shooting something with more of a mid-range or white plumage, cloudy works just fine. Nice thing about cloudy, as long as it's not terribly heavy overcast, is that, while you lose a bit of shutter speed you get an even, diffuse light.

Macro, overcast is perfect for that.

To quote an English colleague, "Don't think of it as overcast, think of it as divinely diffuse light."

We have spendid "divinely diffuse light" in the PNW! It's grand! Agreed- shoot more!

I like to call predators to the camera on cloudy days. I'd rather shoot them on bright sunny days for the faster speeds, fewer shadows and more details, but they tend to respond better when it is overcast.

Streams and waterfalls. The soft light helps keep the whitewater from blowing out and keeps harsh shadows out of the scene.

Bruce

A cloudy sky is nature's lightbox. Take advantage.

Just avoid having they sky in your photos and you can do very well. Since the light is almost directionless, that's the time to take those photos that would not work on sunny days.


Kent in SD

Lots and lots of intimate landscapes and/or adventure photography. The soft light allows all the fine details in a scene to shine through. It's also great for adventure to eliminate harsh shadows that may otherwise fall across faces, bodies, etc.

Skies on cloudy days can be wonderful. The clouds should have texture and decent tonal range, without bright highlights that will block up.

Here's an example: Stormy Evening-Lone Pine Peak. The early evening light was very soft, but had a wonderful tonal range that allowed for great detail and subtle color.

I like cloudy days for all the reasons the others have mentioned. Go do it!

-PB

Preston--

Where you are maybe the gray sky has texture, but where I am it looks like a big gray card, LOL!


Ken tin SD

Cloudy days are perfect for photographing in forests and, as someone mentioned earlier, waterfalls, streams and rivers. The soft, even light is ideal for all these subjects.

Flowers, waterfalls, just about everything that doesn't include a bald sky. Clouds on a stormy day make for a great landscape as well.