Swan (low key)

[Mutley]

Swan in low key by Steve Jenner, on Flickr

Thanks for looking

[chauncey]

I like it...wish that you would have captured the entire reflection.

[Mutley]

Thanks.
Afraid that was not possible. I was standing on top of a weir at the time. Used a prime lens so was unable to zoom with my feet without falling fifteen feet into the river.

[dem]

Nice eye contact.

The lighting is superb. It cannot be an off camera flash, can it? It does not look like an image taken in daylight and then processed. The colours look natural, which is difficult to achieve under a street lamp. I am curious how you did it. Was there a flood light? They are quite powerful and give a uniform spectrum.

EDIT. Just looked at EXIF, it was taken in daylight! The sun must have been quite low.

Afraid that was not possible. I was standing on top of a weir at the time. Used a prime lens so was unable to zoom with my feet without falling fifteen feet into the river.

...or turn the camera into portrait orientation and then add the black areas on left and right in post processing. I like it as it is, BTW.

[Mutley]

Nice eye contact.

The lighting is superb. It cannot be an off camera flash, can it? It does not look like an image taken in daylight and then processed. The colours look natural, which is difficult to achieve under a street lamp. I am curious how you did it. Was there a flood light? They are quite powerful and give a uniform spectrum.

EDIT. Just looked at EXIF, it was taken in daylight! The sun must have been quite low.


...or turn the camera into portrait orientation and then add the black areas on left and right in post processing. I like it as it is, BTW.

Thank you Dem
It was taken in the late afternoon. This is pretty much straight from camera TBH. I exposed for the lightest areas using the spot meter. Just cloned out a few reeds that were in shot but that is about it.
Never really considered the vertical shot at the time, Doh!

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[Manfred M]

But is it really a low key image?

My understanding of low key is that the subject is primarily dark tones shot with a dark background. The swan is hardly dark.

[Mutley]

But is it really a low key image?

My understanding of low key is that the subject is primarily dark tones shot with a dark background. The swan is hardly dark.

I can't really answer that one Manfred TBH
I thought it was low key but am happy to be corrected if it isn't. This was my first attempt at this kind of shot.
So a Raven would be a better subject choice, or do I just need to make the swan darker?
As said, first attempt so any guidance greatly appreciated

[tao2]

Hi Steve,

Ah'd argue ye were correct in calling the photo low-key. A single light source used tae enhance a subject's/object's contours by throwing parts of the image into shade. In fact, IMO, whilst chiaroscuro is mostly attributed tae B+W photography, ah'd describe this shot in those terms. The light falling on the swan, coupled with the contrasted, dark areas, produces the solid, 3D shape characteristic of that effect. Great photo...

[chauncey]

I don't really care what one might call it...still like it.

[IzzieK]

Simple. Agree with William +1 to him.

[Wavelength]

Very nice; since you were not able to get the reflection full, i think it would have been better if the reflection of the neck were slowly merged into darkness down

[chauncey]

FWIW...I have, on occasion, created a reflection using PS by layering an inverted duplicate and
doing appropriate blending.