Pictures taken at the beginning or end of the day can be particularly difficult, and differ quite a bit from low-light outdoors photos on overcast days. Use these tips to make the best of the situation:

• If your camera allows adjusting its sensitivity, change to the highest setting, such as ISO 400. After the sun sets, you'll need the most sensitive setting.
• Watch carefully for shadows and the harsh light that can be caused by the low-lying sun.
• Change your subject's position, if possible, or use fill flash or reflectors to soften the light.
• Unless you're taking a picture of the sunrise or sunset itself, use your camera's white-balance features to compensate for the reddish light found at dusk and dawn. You can also use a filter to adjust for the light, but you may want to simply let nature take its course and appreciate the warm glow that pictures taken at this time of day have. For information about using the white-balance feature of your camera, see your camera's instruction manual.