Advice wanted! Is this too much shade?

[jtlqh]

If you have a fan blowing on them to keep the temperature on their leaves lower, they can tolerate more sun.

Qing

[GiovannaD]

I think it's too dark even for phals. The key word is "acclimatise", meaning you can train your orchids into your local conditions, as long as they don't sit in the sun all day long! My guess is that window sill looks like a hot seat, and given the fact that you keep them in s/h, the water will become hot during the day and phal roots don't like that.
I think that a small plant stand close to the same window will be perfect, as long as you keep the pots in cache pots so the water doesn't boil :P

[Jmoney]

since the plants sit rather close to the glass on a south window, that is *potentially* very bright light during the summer, during midday, and if it's not cloudy. that said, most of the time the light isn't nearly that bright due to various reasons. but the short period of intense light can be enough to burn plants!

there are very few orchids that will tolerate the unshaded south exposure that close to the glass. you might try a thin lace curtain instead, which lets in dappled light, in addition to the slow acclimation mentioned earlier. (but keep in mind that spring is, imo, the most predominant sunburn time for windowsill growers)

[GrumpyBear]

honestly i woulda left the sheer screen up... over time the colour of the new growths would tell you how their light needs are being met, the lighter and brighter the green usually means plenty of light whereas red means more than enough and dark dark green means too little... it sucks waiting that long to find out but pretty much everything with orchids is 'hurry up and wait' in my experience...
when i'm easing mine into new spots and am unsure about the light being right i start them off with a bag overtop of them on a wire frame i made with a few holes so it doesn't cook them, then over time i take the bag off for longer and longer. i guess you coulda done the same with the curtain...

[Bill in NYC]

yes, that looks too dark but may ne alright for paphs and phals up against the window. I have my catts in a south window against the glass for years along with oncids with no problems