Photographing in Dull Light

We have all had times when you have arrived a great location and the light is heavy and overcast. Your subjects don't inspire you as there is no directional light to give it a lift. What do you do?
Option 1 - Pack up your gear & go to the pub!
This you would do if you had a landscape that you particularly wanted (unless you wanted a bleak or stormy effect). With insect life and similar you would get all the richness and detail you require, but without that added dimension.

Option 2 - Look for different subjects that require diffuse light.
On small subjects like flowers, you can modify the light with a reflector to add directional light or a gobo by subtracting light to create light & shade. You can also add a very controlled amount of flash.
On larger objects like railway stations look for verandahs, archways, inside with window light, stairwells etc. The roof stops top light and the side light is comes from the open walls or windows. This can give beautiful images with a lot of richness and colour depth. It is graet for Black & White also.

Diffuse Light can also bring out the richness in some colours - especially if you are up close.Some images above, could not effectively be taken in bright light because the contrast between the bright light and the shadowed areas would have been too great.
Meter for the darker areas. Then check there is enough detail in the highlights. Some modification in post prduction may be necessary to bring in the highlight details. If the otside light was strong or it was a sunny day, you would need to combine two exposures to achieve the same results, but it may not look as good, or it may not look 'right'