Christie Photo
No longer a newbie, moving up!
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2005
- Messages
- 7,199
- Reaction score
- 148
- Location
- Kankakee, IL
- Website
- www.christiephoto.com
OK boys and girls... low key is not about lighting. It's not about the lighting scheme or ratio or contrast. It's about content.
Just as high key images are composed with all white or very light components, low key images are of deeper, darker components.
at OP: So, when you placed the white stuffed toy into the dark scene, you created a photograph that is composed "out of key." And yes... it's underexposed.
So, if you want to do an exercise in low key, select a subject that is deep in tone or have a model dress in deep tones and use similar props. Shoot in a setting with all dark, deep tones. Like Aggressor said, a high lighting ratio if often a good choice... like 4:1
-Pete
BTW: Gradually, over years, high contrast images (like we often see in high fashion) have been mistakenly called high key.
Just as high key images are composed with all white or very light components, low key images are of deeper, darker components.
at OP: So, when you placed the white stuffed toy into the dark scene, you created a photograph that is composed "out of key." And yes... it's underexposed.
So, if you want to do an exercise in low key, select a subject that is deep in tone or have a model dress in deep tones and use similar props. Shoot in a setting with all dark, deep tones. Like Aggressor said, a high lighting ratio if often a good choice... like 4:1
-Pete
BTW: Gradually, over years, high contrast images (like we often see in high fashion) have been mistakenly called high key.