Rays of... kindness?

The sun is a point source of light for us because it is very far away from us - that’s why it produces such hard shadows. On the other hand, clouds work like one big soft box, that is, they scatter shadows in all directions - so on a cloudy day there are almost no shadows, all objects are well lit. And even more - look at your shadow, in the shadow your eye will clearly see all the details! Shadow is not absolute darkness, due to the mechanism described above... To find honest darkness during the daytime, you will have to climb into some deep cave).

Why do we even see the sun's rays, since light itself is invisible? What is the physical mechanism of this phenomenon? The fact is that clouds transmit sunlight unevenly: gaps (holes) or thinner sections of clouds (as well as tree foliage or other opaque objects) transmit sunlight without scattering. To our eyes, this direct light appears brighter than its surroundings, and becomes noticeable if it contrasts with a dark, shadowy background - the eyes detect this and tell us the difference.

A suitable, suitable, perfectly working dark background is a gloomy forest space, ideally enriched with fog; Thus, the picture we need is almost guaranteed to be created, for example, by a combination of three factors: strong sunlight; dense foliage and tree branches in the forest unevenly allowing it to pass through; morning fog that thickens and darkens the air. and, of course, your SLR camera and a good lens - some lenses especially love (and are able to) turn highlights and bright spots into stars with long rays. Under good conditions, even a smartphone will take such a photo. The main thing is to be in the right place at the right time!