I THINK I GOT LOW KEY!!!

[Christie Photo]

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.

 

[JeffieLove]

Okie doke. I will try to use the histogram. So basically with the histogram there needs to be a high peak on the right hand side and on the left hand side itshould be low and cut off at the side of the histogram... Right?

 

[Aggressor]

With low key, it's going to be a little different reading the histogram. Most times, you're looking for a good spread across the entire histogram. With low key, you're not necessarily going to see a peak on the 'bright' end... you should see a band of tones around the middle of the histogram.

It's narrow, because you're lighting a limited portion of the frame.
It's in the middle, because the lit portions should be well-exposed.

 

[JeffieLove]

Take a look at this shot... http://www.howitookit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/low_key1.jpg It is properly exposed. If you looked at the histogram, you would see that the highlights are nicely stacked near the right edge, but not clipping. The shadows will be clipped, but that's intended for these types of shots.

so according to what your saying (and I know I just mentioned this in my last post, but I was just googling a little) the histogram should be high on the right hand side. In this image http://www.bayphoto.com/bayweb/pro_help/Histogram_files/histogram_image009.jpg the histograms peak is on the left.

Is this not a low key image? Or did you get it backwards? Or am I understanding it backwards?

 

[jensgt]

Seems like just by looking at google real quick for examples that low key works best with black and white, or at least might be easier for you to achieve using the black and white function of your camera. It will help to create a transition that is much easier on the eye perhaps?

And hey you are not ugly...you got nice eyes, a lot of people would kill to have pretty eyes. You look young...being young and in high school makes a lot of people feel insecure...try to be more confident! Confidence is very attractive!

Ok so you said you have kids...so I guess you are not that young!!! So there you go...most people with kids would be happy if they looked that young! LOL

 

[JeffieLove]

I'm 24. Not in high school on my sophomore year of a social work degree.

 

[Christie Photo]

Is this not a low key image?

This IS a low key portrait. Note the dark clothing and background.

Perhaps what is more notable about this portrait is the lighting scheme and ratio. This is called "split lighting." The lighting ratio (highlight to shadow) is pretty high... maybe 6:1 or 8:1.

-Pete

 

[JeffieLove]

okay... I'm heading up to reshoot this... again...

I am going to shoot it in RAW & JPEG ... I am going to use both of my clamp lights on one side of the lamp... Since "deeper tones" were mentioned, I think this lamp is a good choice... It has some deep earth tones in it and then the dark goldenrod (maybe?) color for the shade... Plus the contour of it is awesome

I will try different zooms, angles, settings, etc... it is night time now so the only "light" in the room will be my clamp lights... The original shots with this lamp were shot during the day but I adjusted the settings to make it look dark (I was proud of myself for that by the way..)

I will have the reshoot posted again within the hour or so

I will have my iPhone upstairs with me with the forum open on it so if anyone has any quick suggestions, feel free to mention them and I will try them while I am up there

ETA: Since someone mentioned that I have gorgeous eyes, I will also attempt a close up on my eyes with the "low key" (maybe, maybe not actually going to be low key) feel