Daytime
Shooting from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. is typically the “bleh” window when you’ll face harsh highlights and be stuck trying to make your shots dramatic during post-processing.
There is obviously a difference in time zones, so a good rule of thumb is not to shoot between lunch and dinner. Still, I break this rule all the time out of necessity. We don’t get to choose the times that we have access to particular sites, and there’s no reason not to shoot a site if you’re there; but at times I have looked at various scenes within a location and chosen not to shoot them because I knew that the light would ruin the shots.
I’ve gotten pickier over the years, and I know what will make a good photo; shooting in the right light makes all the difference. I find that if I’m stuck shooting in the “bleh” window, I focus more on shooting close-ups. They don’t require the dynamic light of wide-angle shots, and they can turn out pretty well if you avoid harsh highlights in your frame. Since we are typically shooting indoors, you can get away with shooting during the “bleh” window, but your shots will always turn out better if you avoid it.