When you shoot, where do you look? As far as I am aware, few people shoot low: that is, targeting the shadows as primary subjects. But shadows sometimes speak the scene more effectively, or at least in a much philosophical way.
When shooting shadows, bias the exposure towards the brighter area so that the shadows will appear dark enough for a more dramatic contrast. You'll need to do this by spot-metering. In case you don't know, the camera's meter would otherwise be fooled to overexpose and wash down the shadows a bit.
And the best time to shoot shadows is 2 hours before or after midday (meaning when the sun is right above your head; not necessarily at twelve o'clock) when the dark tone of the shadows is just right. The best time in a year is in winter when the sun is low, extending shadows to a really long length.
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