Some of the smaller bamboos, especially those with larger leaves do best with light shade. A few such as I.tessalatus or S.palmata can grow in heavy shade. Most will not survive if planted where the roots stay wet. Running bamboos will spread by their underground rhizomes and this should be taken into account when planting. This especially important if your neighbor does not want bamboo in his or her yard.
Most bamboos prefer a slightly acidic soil.
I have found them growing in everything from clay, to sand, to nice loamy soil. You can dig this into the soil or just mulch heavily and allow it to break down naturally. This has worked well for me using leaves in the fall. Besides the benefits of adding organic matter to your soil, mulch will help protect the roots from freezing during the winter and keep the soil from drying out so quickly during the summer. When you are ready to plant, dig a hole just a little larger than the rootball and place the plant so that the top of the rootball is even with, or slightly below, ground level.