What Is Your Definition Of High Key And Low Key Photography

[smoke665]

@Designer the wide variance is what prompted me to ask the question in the first place. Unfortunately the analytical side of my brain needs some basis to accept what is good or bad.

 

[Derrel]

Films that fall into the classical film noir style do have a LOT of low key scenes! BUT--they can also have plenty of mid-key scenes in them. I typically thin k of film noir not just in relation to the lighting, but also the weird music, the short,clipped dialogue, and the crime and criminals and all of the intrigue. But yeah, film noir typically has many,many scenes that were lit and shot as low key.

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Here's a link to a web article discussing why the 1946 film, The Big Sleep, looks so,so cool!

 

[smoke665]

BUT--they can also have plenty of mid-key scenes in them.

This is what I was alluding to in the earlier comment on your post. I did a series of film noir last year. In doing my research it seemed that this type of shot shared the mood, but there was more detail in the shadow, more mid tones as you commented. Maybe like chiaroscuro mentioned earlier a subtle variation.

 

[Image Creations]

With low key photography, lighting is reduced in order to produce images characterized by striking contrasts, dark tones, and shadows. Usually, a single source of lighting is used to achieve this composition. ... Like high key, low key is a great choice for both color and black and white photos.

 

[smoke665]

With low key photography, lighting is reduced in order to produce images characterized by striking contrasts, dark tones, and shadows. Usually, a single source of lighting is used to achieve this composition. ... Like high key, low key is a great choice for both color and black and white photos.

Yes, but rather than a cut and paste verbatim explanation from Corel`s Discovery blog, from 2016, my question was what is "your" definition? Do you expose for the light, overexpose, or under expose to achieve the desired result? Does subject matter play a part in your choice? How do you see shadow and detail in each?

 

[Designer]

With low key photography, lighting is reduced in order to produce images characterized by striking contrasts, dark tones, and shadows. Usually, a single source of lighting is used to achieve this composition. ... Like high key, low key is a great choice for both color and black and white photos.

Yes, but rather than a cut and paste verbatim explanation from Corel`s Discovery blog, from 2016, my question was what is "your" definition? Do you expose for the light, overexpose, or under expose to achieve the desired result? Does subject matter play a part in your choice? How do you see shadow and detail in each?

"my" definition is about the same as most others'.

As I wrote earlier, you should be exposing your photograph correctly for the conditions. The "style" of high key or low key is created by manipulating the light. Yes, I think some subjects (the models) are better suited to one style or the other, so choose appropriately. You will not see much detail in the shadows in a low key shot. To me, that does not mean the shot is under exposed, just not lighted very evenly.

 

[noeldaganta]

In my opinion, high key or low key lighting is just the amount of light and mood of the photo. Either way, the exposure should be correct for the images and you don't have to clip anything. I do shoot a lot of high-key lighting and I always make sure everything looks good from raw. No clipping needed. You can check out some of this one my website specially the one's I shot on white background Los Angeles Fashion Photographer Fitness Headshot Photographer

 

[smoke665]

You can check out some of this one my website specially the one's I shot on white background Los Angeles Fashion Photographer Fitness Headshot Photographer

Cool shots!

 

[noeldaganta]

You can check out some of this one my website specially the one's I shot on white background Los Angeles Fashion Photographer Fitness Headshot Photographer

Cool shots!

Thank you smoke665

 

[keen.observer]

High key = brightly lit, little to no shadow. Low key = hard light, lots of shadows, and contrast. Achieve either in several ways, as you choose. The number of lights, their placement, etc, can vary. Artistry is a factor.