what is open shade?
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new2me
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Via Google
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/composition-4.shtml
Open Shade:
Description: A subject is in open shade when it is located in a shaded area on a sunny day. It is called open shade because, when the photograph is exposed for the shadows, the shadowed areas "open up" and look soft and colorful. In effect exposing a photograph for the open shade area of a scene means overexposing areas lit by direct sunlight. A classical use of open shade in portrait photography consists of posing the subject in a shaded area, with a directly lit area behind the subject, while using fill-flash to soften the contrast between shadows and highlight. In landscape photography flash is rarely used because it often looks unnatural. Therefore, open shade landscape photographs rarely include areas lit by direct sunlight.
Quality: soft, diffused light
Colors: Tinted light with a blue cast tendency. Intense but may have a bluish cast.
Shadows: No shadows. Shadows are not present
Contrast: Low contrast
Recommended film or contrast adjustment: this is the perfect opportunity to use a high contrast and high color saturation film such as Velvia. If you shoot digitally add a contrast-enhancement curve to your file to compensate for the naturally low-contrast of digital sensors.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/composition-4.shtml
Open Shade:
Description: A subject is in open shade when it is located in a shaded area on a sunny day. It is called open shade because, when the photograph is exposed for the shadows, the shadowed areas "open up" and look soft and colorful. In effect exposing a photograph for the open shade area of a scene means overexposing areas lit by direct sunlight. A classical use of open shade in portrait photography consists of posing the subject in a shaded area, with a directly lit area behind the subject, while using fill-flash to soften the contrast between shadows and highlight. In landscape photography flash is rarely used because it often looks unnatural. Therefore, open shade landscape photographs rarely include areas lit by direct sunlight.
Quality: soft, diffused light
Colors: Tinted light with a blue cast tendency. Intense but may have a bluish cast.
Shadows: No shadows. Shadows are not present
Contrast: Low contrast
Recommended film or contrast adjustment: this is the perfect opportunity to use a high contrast and high color saturation film such as Velvia. If you shoot digitally add a contrast-enhancement curve to your file to compensate for the naturally low-contrast of digital sensors.
CT
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Tricky one to explain. 
I'd say it refers to taking shots just inside the shade at that spot where bright sunlight and shade meet but with your subject facing into the light.
Generally speaking you'e looking for pockets of usable light in otherwise contrasty difficult conditions.
I'd say it refers to taking shots just inside the shade at that spot where bright sunlight and shade meet but with your subject facing into the light.
Generally speaking you'e looking for pockets of usable light in otherwise contrasty difficult conditions.
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This is an example of open shade:
It was taken at Whitby Gothic Weekend when the sun was directly overhead and there were no clouds. This produced a very harsh light and created very dark shadows under the nose and in this case her hat. I asked this young woman to step into the entrance to a covered alleyway: she was shielded from direct sunlight but there was plenty of sunlight being bounced around from the pavement and walls to light her. As you can see the light level drops off the further you head into the shade of the alley.
It was taken at Whitby Gothic Weekend when the sun was directly overhead and there were no clouds. This produced a very harsh light and created very dark shadows under the nose and in this case her hat. I asked this young woman to step into the entrance to a covered alleyway: she was shielded from direct sunlight but there was plenty of sunlight being bounced around from the pavement and walls to light her. As you can see the light level drops off the further you head into the shade of the alley.
CT
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This is an example of open shade:
It was taken at Whitby Gothic Weekend when the sun was directly overhead and there were no clouds. This produced a very harsh light and created very dark shadows under the nose and in this case her hat. I asked this young woman to step into the entrance to a covered alleyway: she was shielded from direct sunlight but there was plenty of sunlight being bounced around from the pavement and walls to light her. As you can see the light level drops off the further you head into the shade of the alley.
Yep - perfect example.
Tricky one to explain.
I'd say it refers to taking shots just inside the shade at that spot where bright sunlight and shade meet but with your subject facing into the light.
Generally speaking you'e looking for pockets of usable light in otherwise contrasty difficult conditions.
even putting your subjects back to the sun will effectively put their face in open shade so long as the sun isn't directly overhead, which it usually isn't.