I THINK I GOT LOW KEY!!!

[JeffieLove]

Posted a reshoot on page 2


Someone make me happy with out lying to me hahaha!

This is a crap-tastic self portrait... I know the top of my head is cut off, and I know I'm ugly, and my skin is horrible But here it is anyway

 

[FattyMcJ]

Well, I can't say "you've got it"...but you're well on your way!

1 Looks like you've got a good start.

2 Looks like a blair witch project shot. Moody and interesting, but I'm not sure that's what you were going for.

And NO...you're not ugly, nor is your skin horrible. Don't be hard on yourself!

 

[JeffieLove]

lol just tell me it doesn't just look like poor lighting (no lies!) and I'll be happy lol

 

[JeffieLove]

Is this one any better?

 

[FattyMcJ]

Honestly, I know very little about low key lighting. But from what little I've seen and looked into, it's more about creating a mood with the lighting, not just faint light from one side. The subject has a lot to do with a successful low key image, not sure if a stuffed animal works. The texture of the fur and odd shape throw me off.

But purely on the technical side of it, I (personally) would like to see a bit more light on the subject. It looks like the light is a table lamp about 5 feet away from the subject, and it's not bright enough to create the mood.

Just a quick Flickr search comes up with a few really cool looking low key shots, most faces with a tighter crop than a normal portrait.

Low-Key on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Trying to not look so pale.... on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And I just realized all of the photos I chose (that I liked) were B&W...hmm...maybe it's just my taste. I look forward to what others have to say.

 

[JeffieLove]

the light is actually a clamp desk light with a day light rated CFl in it and it's only about a foot away from the subject, camera right, and a little bit lower than the puppy....

I'm not good at "showing" moods when I am staged (I could NEVER be a model!) lol...

So I tried with the SP's, then gave up on that and went with the pupper dog...

Is there any kind of inanimate object you can think of that might work?

 

[poof]

I think the second shot is getting there. It would look better if you raised the light to focus at face level then turned the doll to where the face was half lit-half shadow...












And then de-saturate to b&w.

 

[FattyMcJ]

Is there any kind of inanimate object you can think of that might work?

Hmm, if I were trying Low Key, I'd go with something classy, something to do with night life. Wine bottle, a vase, a candle (lit or unlit, might be cool).

Or maybe something that sharp contrast would compliment and show the harshness of, like boxing gloves (spritz them with a water bottle on the tips a bit for simulated sweat, throw in some white tape kinda clumped up, that's been soaked in dirty water to show use, might be cool).

I think sports stuff would work well. Not shoes unless they're like cleats, not running shoes...too generic.

I dunno, just some things that I would try.

 

[JeffieLove]

I used to sell candles for PartyLite... I have a MILLION candles! Maybe I will try lighting one and shooting it tomorrow

 

[FattyMcJ]

I used to sell candles for PartyLite... I have a MILLION candles! Maybe I will try lighting one and shooting it tomorrow

See! I bet you have a lot of cool candles with great colors and different shapes, multi-wick. Stick a burnt match and open matchbook with some rose petals off to the side for a romantic feel maybe?

 

[JeffieLove]

Any other "semi-pro" cc?

 

[thomas.corbett]

Just to dark for me. At least needs even lighting over subject.

 

[JeffieLove]

if my understanding of low key is correct, it isn't supposed to have even lighting over the subject

 

[Gaerek]

Just to dark for me. At least needs even lighting over subject.

She's going for low-key, which is exactly the opposite of what you suggested and would defeat the purpose of what she's going for. Do a Google image search for "low-key" to get an idea of what she's doing.

 

[bazooka]

These shots are underexposed. Make sure you check your histogram.