If you’re a portrait photographer who shoots outdoors, you probably already know the magic of shooting in open shade. For those used to using flash or shooting indoors in studios, however, it may not be something that immediately springs to mind.
In this video, Mark Wallace shows us how to use open shade to its maximum potential and how you can create beautiful images using extremely simple lighting.
What is open shade?
Open shade is everywhere once you start looking for it. It’s generally an area where shade is being cast from a building or other construction. The light is gentle and diffused because it’s being reflected off nearby buildings, pavement, and the sky, creating a soft yet directional light. Additionally, this light gives us spectacular specular highlights, making our eyes sparkle with reflections of the surroundings.
Shooting with open shade
In the video, Mark shows several different setups and locations. Due to the limited space on the balcony, he is using an 85mm lens on his Canon EOS R5.
White Wall Setup: Mark starts by positioning the model against a white wall. This wall acts like a seamless white background, and the light coming in from the side will bounce off a nearby window to fill in the other side of her face. He’s shooting in aperture priority mode at f/2.8 to achieve a shallow depth of field, with ISO 100, and letting the camera set the shutter speed.
Window Reflection Setup: Next, he uses the soft directional light from the window, which reflects the cityscape and sky. This reflection adds beautiful specular highlights to the model’s eyes. To enhance the effect, he switches to an f/1.2 lens for an even shallower depth of field, ensuring the background falls out of focus.
Shooting into the Light: Lastly, Mark shoots into the bright light. By positioning the model against a white wall with buildings in the background, the bright light creates a softly overexposed background. Using the 85mm lens, he achieves compression, bringing the background closer and adding bokeh.
Open shade is also one of my favourite natural lighting setups. It’s versatile and easy to find—whether it’s a shaded area next to a building or a patio. With open shade, you get soft, directional light and fantastic specular highlights, making your subjects look amazing without needing additional lighting equipment. If you want to add drama, then you can use a reflector or a little pop of flash.
