The preferred set up is a single source of light. When light fills the room from more than one direction you loose the shadows. You have to preserve the shadows.
First of all, I don't like the idea of the room with windows on two walls. Can you completely block the light from one window? If so choose the window on the long wall.
My suggestion would be to cut down the Magnolia tree.
If you refuse, I would test this north facing light anew. I would bet that on bright days there is ample light for your purpose. In any case you probably have enough light for the "light" side of the face, and we may at some point down the road, talk about augmenting the ambient light. Take a look at the attached photo. My guess is that you're North light window would produce something like this. Adequate light on the North, very little ambient light on the South. Later on we will get into how to make this work.
Next, I would test the sunroom. If the fourth side of this room is a wall (worst case), you could try blocking the light on both sides of this wall to move the light source more toward the single lit wall opposite the solid wall. Then move your subject back toward the solid wall as far as you can. If this fourth side is not a wall but open to another room, then move the subject just outside the sunroom such that the sunroom becomes just one big window.
You have to create a situation where the light is traveling sideways into your space, toward the shadow side.
Don't discount the possibility that there may be other situations. Look at the spaces in your house as if you had just walked into a strangers house. This will happen to you someday, this is really what you are preparing yourself to do. You've got to root something out.
So make your investigation, try our little exercise with what you think is your best shot. You don't need to worry about taking any photos at this point, just the observation exercise will be sufficient.
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Mike McCarty
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