>>> Discussion: High Key

ivar · May 5, 2010

Next topic: High Key! This one can be interesting since I don't think there is "one"/"one correct" definition of it. But they all result in similar type of shots.

So, High Key: How to? tips? tricks?

If you have any topics/questions that you would like discussed, please let me know :thumb

Hackbone · May 9, 2010

I use two strip lights coming in at a 45 degree angle. My exposure on the background is 1 stop over the main light. I use a large main light ( 4 by 6 ) to get spill on the foreground. Your dodge tool can be helpful in cleaning up areas.

Scott_Quier · May 17, 2010

I posted a thread on my attempt at hi-key back in Jan 2009. I used the tutorial I found here as my guide. I have a picture of my setup somewhere in my SmugMug stuff but can't find it right now but I'll post it later.

But, here's another shot from that shoot that I really like:

l.k.madison · May 17, 2010

Ooops!!
My most recent favorite picture is high-key by total accident. I loved the pose and the look on her face and did some serious tweaking until I was happy with it, it just happened to land on the brighter side of things. It doesn't match the processing in the rest of her gallery- at ALL, but that's ok, I wasn't going to trash it because of that. Of course, her eyes got a little extra love, but nothing more than a few brushes' worth.

Here's the before/after:

How to take a shot and immediately *know* that high key is the way to go with the processing... I'm not to that point yet.

nxk2000 · May 21, 2010

Scott_Quier wrote: »

I posted a thread on my attempt at hi-key back in Jan 2009. I used the tutorial I found here as my guide. I have a picture of my setup somewhere in my SmugMug stuff but can't find it right now but I'll post it later.

I have just recently found Zack's tutorial and have tried his set up. So far I haven't been completely satisfied with my results. To me my photos just don't have the pop they should. I have a few ideas of what my troubles might be. To much light bouncing around the room, the lenses I have may not be best suited for this type of shot, or my processing skills still need some work. My best results have been while shooting with the background lights off. So I'm leaning towards needing to find another place to shoot.

I'm using 3 x1600 WL with a Silver 64" PLM and a white diffuser on the main. My lenses that I have tried are a Nikon 70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, and 50 1.4. The background is a Savage 8' White vinyl.

Here is one of my recent shots with the set up. There are a few more here.

D'Buggs · May 21, 2010

nxk2000 wrote: »

Here is one of my recent shots with the set up. There are a few more here.

I'm on a crap monitor at the moment but IMO, 1, 2 and 3 of this set look pretty darn good. What are your nits?

nxk2000 · May 23, 2010

D'Buggs wrote: »

I'm on a crap monitor at the moment but IMO, 1, 2 and 3 of this set look pretty darn good. What are your nits?

Honestly I don't know exactly how to describe what I think is wrong so I decided to try starting over in Lightroom. I also went back and Zack Arias website and watched his work flow video again.

This was one of my first shots with the white background. It was also shot with only one background light. Using just one light might have help with the unwanted spill light but wasn't able to evenly light the background. I also now have a WhiBal card so I set the WB to my recent readings. One thing stood out in the original was his cheeks and elbow.

The image on the left is my original attempt and the right is the most recent.

This shot I was using 2 background lights. Adding the second light also added more light bouncing around the room. The extra spill seems to take away from the details on the face. I made some changes with the blacks, contrast, and clarity. I think it improved.

One question I have is how far is everyone spacing their subject from the background?

Please let me know if I'm on the right track with my adjustments.

.

coldclimb · May 27, 2010

This thread gave me a bit of inspiration to finally practice high key, so when I had some strobes in possession this week we gave it a try. We had a white muslin backdrop with a 50W strobe positioned behind it shooting at an angle into it, and two 150W strobes to light the subjects. This is only our second time using strobes, so we're learning.

Our backdrop isn't big enough for full length though, so we only got headshots. Here's one of Prezwoodz for a sneak peek at our results, and the rest of the gallery is here: http://coldclimb.smugmug.com/2010/High-Key-Practice/

Hackbone · May 27, 2010

1 & 3 are straight out of camera. 2&4 are with some minor adjustments in Capture One and 5 is just a finished product with photoshop. I used the two strips at a 45 and a 4x6 as the main to light the subject and foreground. ( you can see the two strips in 3&4.

anonymouscuban · May 27, 2010

This was a shot from my one and only attempt at High Key so far. Not totally disappointed with the results but I think it needs improvement. I struggled with getting the background evenly lit since I only have two strobes. What I did was have one pointed directly at the background behind the subject and I used the second one as the Key light but I tried to position it so it would also hit the BG. Both strobes had umbrellas as modifiers. My other struggle was that I don't have a light meter so I had to "eye ball" it and chimp a lot.

ivar · May 28, 2010

anonymouscuban wrote: »

This was a shot from my one and only attempt at High Key so far. Not totally disappointed with the results but I think it needs improvement. I struggled with getting the background evenly lit since I only have two strobes. What I did was have one pointed directly at the background behind the subject and I used the second one as the Key light but I tried to position it so it would also hit the BG. Both strobes had umbrellas as modifiers. My other struggle was that I don't have a light meter so I had to "eye ball" it and chimp a lot.

I think you did good, considering the circumstances. You really need to have/borrow a lightmeter though, if you are going to do more things like this; Make sure to not overexpose the background by more than one stop, because you are going to have details lost otherwise.

If you only have limited amount of strobes (2 in this case) I would use one to light the background and make sure that the area around your model is properly exposed; If the edges of the photo are a little underexposed it is an easy fix in post

anonymouscuban · May 28, 2010

Thanks Ivar. I know I need a light meter. I also want to get another strobe and some softboxes... and 70-200mm... and a full-frame body... and...

. But all those things will have to wait. We (my wife) decided we should finally remodel the master bedroom and bathroom. She felt that was a more responsible way of using our year-end bonus' we got.

So for now, i have to make do with the old "eyeballs" and chimping.

... I've been so busy with the remodel (doing the work myself) that I have had no time to shoot. As soon as the room remodel is done, maybe I will do a photo shoot in it!!!

>>> Discussion: High Key

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