When the sun is shining bright, you usually hear photographers say that it's not optimal lighting, because they feel the sunlight is too harsh, leading to overexposed photos. However, if you are able to learn how to work with light and shadow, you can create some great photos showcasing great contrast. 

For example, take a look at the photo below we took for Pendulum Magazine, it was high hour for sunshine, and outdoors the sunlight would have been much harder to work with, but in this open-air hotel corridor, sunlight worked with the shadows, creating sharp lines that add to the moody feel of the photo. 

Another example would be the photo below, also from The Kinney Hotel in Los Angeles, where the shadows add texture and depth to the photo, enriching the composition. If the sun had been shining from behind our camera lens, the photo would just show white walls, resulting in a much flatter composition.

So the next time you feel like the lighting is too harsh, try to find opportunities with a combination of indoor and outdoor settings, using shadows to your advantage.