Open Shade?? Job at Noon =/

[jodyangel]

Hey all..I have to do a portrait shoot at high noon. I have read about "open shade" but I honestly don't understand what that is?
Is it totally under tree branches?? Or in a general shady area with light nearby?

Confused =)

[RexK_Cozumel]

Basically what you want to do is position your subject close to the edge of the shady area. This will allow you to get enough light that you can make some artistic choices with the exposure, DOF, etc. Try to find a spot that is in solid shade however. What I mean is that if you are under a tree try not to have spot of sunlight coming through the trees onto the subject. it will make random bright spots on the person which can be a bad thing. You can of course use that artistically as well tho. depends on the style you want.

Just some ideas for you as far as different styles you can achieve in open shade.

If you want to have the subject jump out of the background, shoot the subject in open shade with the background in deeper shade. This is naturally cause the background to be darker than the subject which will make them jump out of the image.

If you want the feeling of the image to be airy and light find open shade and shoot into a background that is not in shade. This will make the background brighter than the subject giving a airy high key feel to the image.

The real trick is to find the spot in the shade that has the balance that you want.

[KathrynWilson]

The main trick to open shade is just make sure that you avoid half'n'half light, such as the dappled light underneath a tree. You want nice, even light, and standing near a large object that gives off shade is a great way to find that light when the sun is out. Any little peeky bits of brighter light that sneak through will only blow out patches of your subject and cause distraction. The suggestion to use open shade in sunlight is your alternative to having to use flash or some other method to combat the harsh light and shadows created by the sun.

If you have the choice, try picking a well shaded area that isn't toooo dark, and preferably with light coming in from the side, such as near the edge of a building's canopy or something.

[Trader]

You also will be much better off if you can control the light that you are photographying in. I like to use an off camera flash shooting into a white umbrella and sometimes a second flash for fill. Hope this helps.

[RexK_Cozumel]

Just remember when using brollies outdoors... as Joe McNally says..... bag the S@#% out of it.

Even a light gust of wind will take down a stand with a brollie on it.