Golden Hour

In photography, light is one of the most important elements to take in consideration.  The prime time shortly after sunrise or before sunset is called "Golden Hour" and this creates almost magical moments to photography.  When you shoot in the middle of the day the Sun is at its highest in the sky.  This results in harsher shadows and a lack of warmth in the sky as the Sun is hitting the land at a higher angle.  When the Sun is lower in the sky the results are different.

During Golden Hour the light is hitting the land at a lower angle it results in less harsh shadows, more texture and details.  Because contrast is less during Golden Hour, shadows are less dark and highlights are less likely to be overexposed.  The light is warmer resulting in orange tones and can bounce off the underside of clouds, resulting in hues that range from orange to pinks to purple.

Though it is referred to Golden Hour, there is no guarantee that this period of time will last 60 minutes.  The window of opportunity can last mere seconds based on conditions and with overcast days really hampering photo opportunities.