Low key photography

[rtk]

Hi,

I'm a beginner and I was impressed by couple of low key photography. I have not external speed light flash with me. Can you please help me in the ways to practice for low key photography in home condition

[CJK]

This helped my understanding on low and high key photography, along with much more.

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...istograms1.htm

[tclune]

I really enjoy taking low-key photos, too. The one thing that I can suggest is that low-key photos are very easy to "expose to the right." Your camera will try to make the scene look like normal mid-tones. Let it. Then, in post (you do shoot raw, don't you?), shift the exposure back down to the darkness that the scene actually was, compressing tones as necessary to fit the full range of brightness where appropriate. This way, your dark shot will be a lot more noise-free than if you exposed it "properly" when taking it. FWIW

[gredawarha]

Hi Thilak

Other more experienced and quailified people might be able to help you but in the mean time try this. Try to place your subject away from your background. Set your ISO to 100. Put your camera into manual and set your shutter speed to the camera's maximum shutter speed. Try 1/200. The set your aperture at say F/5.6 and take a picture. Depending on the lighting conditions your resulting image may be dark, check the histogram. You want an image where the histogram is falling off the left hand side indicating that that there is little light hitting your sensor. If your histogram is not over to the left increase youe F number by a stop, take the photo and check again. Keep raising your f number until you get a histogram with the scale off to the left.

Once you have this pop your flash and go into your flash settings and set it at it's lowest power. Take more shots raising the flash power until you get the desired effect. You have to bear in mind that without an off camera flash you will be restricted in respect of angle and distance to subject.

I strongly, strongly recommend that you check out David Hobby's Strobist website.

I created a self portrait using a snoot out of a cardboard box. A snoot funnels the light and prevents the light spilling around your subject, like a spot light.

Hope this helps.

[William W]

I'm a beginner and I was impressed by couple of low key photography. I have not external speed light flash with me. Can you please help me in the ways to practice for low key photography in home condition

Firstly, Low key (and high key) is all about: The Lighting.

Secondly, Low Key is about The Lighting

You don’t need a speedlite to practice.
An Home Environment is ideal for practicing low key Photography.

How to practice:
Isolate a single source of light - and then work with it and then mould it on a portion of the Subject.



“Swimmer in Change Room before the Race”
Lighting - One low voltage down-light in hallway ceiling.

*


“Athlete Pensive in Greenroom”
Lighting – one Low voltage down-light in Ceiling of Greenroom.

*


“Candid Portrait – Textured”
Lighting – Kitchen light shining through window onto balcony at night-time

***

And it would be a good idea for you to get out of the home, at the times when the lighting is suitable for Low Key


“Church before Sunrise”
Lighting – Two Spotlights in Ground at Front of Church

*


“Midnight Acrobat”
Lighting - One Streetlight

*


“Circus before Daybreak”
Lighting – the security lights, on the tents.


Basically, Low Key is about - The Lighting.

WW