Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic

Bad weather makes great pictures. The best bad weather is a stormy day, when the sun is battling the clouds and often breaks through to ignite one part of the scene. In this winter shot of the Grand Canyon by Michael Nichols, it is the single touch of sunlight that makes the photograph work. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Become a storm chaser. If you want to find drama in a landscape, you’re more likely to succeed on days when the weather is dynamic. Nothing is more boring than a perfect, cloudless day.