# Low Key - How do I get the look?



## kirbym2 (Aug 5, 2011)

Trying to make a habit of asking a question each day/or get some feedback to enhance my skill set... that said, here's what I'm wondering about today...

I want to be able to take some great low-key shots.  I'll fill you in on what I have equipment wise, and would love some tips on where to go from there...

Camera: Nikon D7000
Flash: SB-600 (I don't have any sort of commander to do "off camera" flash)
Variety of Lenses Including a Nikon 50mm 1.4, and a Tamron 17-50 2.8 (Non VC)

I don't have a studio in my house, but have looked into getting an inexpensive backdrop kit that would have black/white backdrops.  Probably be looking at positioning near a window as primary light source.

Being new, I'm really looking for "Keep it Simple Stupid" tips.  As far as subject matter... looking at doing some maternity shots (for practice, no charge...) and really like the low-key look.

Thanks all!


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## OrionsByte (Aug 5, 2011)

kirbym2 said:


> Flash: SB-600 (I don't have any sort of commander to do "off camera" flash)



Actually, you do.



kirbym2 said:


> Camera: Nikon D7000


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## OrionsByte (Aug 5, 2011)

BTW - 2nd result when I googled "low-key lighting":

The Complete Beginner?s Guide to Shooting Low Key

Oh, and the 3rd result under the same search:

Low Key Portrait Lighting Tutorial

If you have questions, come back and let us know, but quite frankly there's no need for anyone here to re-type everything from those two links.  

I sincerely hope that helps ya.


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## kirbym2 (Aug 5, 2011)

To be clear.. I can trigger the SB600 off camera wirelessly from my D7000?  Clearly I didn't analyze the manual/bible thoroughly... any tips on how to set this feature up?


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## kirbym2 (Aug 5, 2011)

...and thanks for the links.  I know some of these resources can be quite epic in their detail, was hoping to pry out some tried and true tips.  Thanks for sending me in the right direction


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## Big Mike (Aug 5, 2011)

kirbym2 said:


> To be clear.. I can trigger the SB600 off camera wirelessly from my D7000?  Clearly I didn't analyze the manual/bible thoroughly... any tips on how to set this feature up?


nikon cls tutorial - Google Search

The 'key' to low key (or high key) is matching (keying) the subject's clothing and accessories to the background.  So dark clothes on a dark background.  

Too many people seem to think that low key is just dark, underexposed photos...but that's not correct.  You want a properly exposed subject, and by matching the clothing to the background, you force the viewer's attention to the subject's face...or whatever parts aren't matching the background.


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## OrionsByte (Aug 5, 2011)

kirbym2 said:


> To be clear.. I can trigger the SB600 off camera wirelessly from my D7000?  Clearly I didn't analyze the manual/bible thoroughly... any tips on how to set this feature up?



Page 225 of your D7000 manual, page 60 of your SB-600 manual.  I have a D7000 and an SB-600 and 90% of the shots I take use off-camera flash using this setup.

Just make sure that the built-in flash mode is set to "Commander", set group A to TTL (for starters), then set the channel and group to the same ones on your SB-600, and you're set.


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## kirbym2 (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks Mike... appreciate the reply.  I think I had come across one of your low-key maternity shots before... inspiration behind this


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## Vtec44 (Aug 5, 2011)

Yep, D7000 has a built in commander mode.  I use it to triggers my SB600's and 800's.  It works decent in direct sun light, just make sure the infrared receiver on the flash itself is not directly under the sun.


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## Derrel (Aug 5, 2011)

OrionsByte said:


> BTW - 2nd result when I googled "low-key lighting":
> 
> The Complete Beginner?s Guide to Shooting Low Key
> 
> ...



I looked at the FIRST link only...really,really good primer! Boatloads of diagrams, suggestions, and superb sample photos. This Google thing is amazing dude!!!!

As to the procedure for remotely triggering the SB600 from a D7000, I think the owner's manual has some suggested operating procedures on there. I don't own an SB 600 myself, so I typed in, "How can I get my SB 600 to fire remotely with my D7000?" in this Google search thing and found this link to a Flickr discussion group, which I have found is a great place to get answers from many people who are working on the same problem more or less at one time.

Flickr: Discussing SB600 wont fire in commander mode with D7000 in NIKON D7000 CLUB

"Lol @ squiggly line! (remote indicator) press zoom and the minus button together to enter custom menu... "

and if you want to make sure the on-camera pop-up flash does NOT fire: "In the camera's flash menu set the popup flash to manual and select the zero output setting ( -- ). It will still trigger the remote flash. "

Hope some of this helps.

One suggestion I can give you when shooting low-key stuff is that the SHUTTER speed CAN be utilized to control background brightness; faster speeds like 1/200, keep the background dark; slower speeds, like 1/6 to 1/20 second, will allow you to as they say, "pick up ambient", which can give pleasing effects when shooting in a bar or club or a place where there are lights in the background,and you want to pick up some of the color and the "feeling" of the background, and not just have an inky, black background. Low key does not require a jet-black background!!


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## Vtec44 (Aug 5, 2011)

Oh yeah, the on board flash will fire even if you disable it.  That's normal.


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## OrionsByte (Aug 5, 2011)

Also, if you don't have a black background, you can fake it with enough light.  Like Derrel said, you can use the shutter speed to control your ambient light.  If you control your ambient light well enough so that there _isn't_ any (i.e. small aperture, short shutter speed), then the only light you'll be seeing in your photo is the flash.  If your flash is close enough to the subject at high enough power, and if the background is far enough away, you'll be able to expose your subject properly while keeping any light that falls on the background from registering at all.

For example, this was shot in a _normally lit room_ with the subject about 5 feet from a _white_ wall, with the flash about 1' away from it (of course _now_ it looks underexposed to me but when I took it it was _awesome_ ).  You get the point though.  Read more here.


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## jwbryson1 (Aug 5, 2011)

In follow up to this question, what is the best material to use for a black backdrop if you are on a budget?  There are some decent looking backdrop "kits" at Adorama with a frame and solid black material for not a whole lot of money ($85 and up) but if I wanted to put one together myself at home, would black velvet work just as well?  What gives the least sheen and reflectivity?

Thanks.


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## kirbym2 (Aug 5, 2011)

@OrionsByte - Making sure I understand, I would set the flash mode to TTL - if it's 1' away, will I not completely over-expose the subject?  I see yours (does look great in my view), I'm assuming you reduced the flash output?  Is this sort of a trial and error deal?


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## OrionsByte (Aug 5, 2011)

jwbryson1 said:


> In follow up to this question, what is the best material to use for a black backdrop if you are on a budget?  There are some decent looking backdrop "kits" at Adorama with a frame and solid black material for not a whole lot of money ($85 and up) but if I wanted to put one together myself at home, would black velvet work just as well?  What gives the least sheen and reflectivity?
> 
> Thanks.



If you don't have a black backdrop, you can fake it with enough... wait... anyone else getting de ja vu?

 Sorry, had to.


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## OrionsByte (Aug 5, 2011)

kirbym2 said:


> @OrionsByte - Making sure I understand, I would set the flash mode to TTL - if it's 1' away, will I not completely over-expose the subject?  I see yours (does look great in my view), I'm assuming you reduced the flash output?  Is this sort of a trial and error deal?



Well sure, it would overexpose the subject a whole lot... unless you maybe perhaps kinda set your camera to use a really small aperture and a really fast shutter speed, right?  

Read through that link I posted to Strobist, it will give you a better idea.  Basically, I set the shutter speed to the max flash sync speed of the camera 1/250th and then stopped my aperture down to underexpose the ambient light.  A few test shots can make sure you're getting the result you want.  Then I brought in the flash.  In my case I set it manually, but TTL should work just fine too.  The idea is just to bring the flash power up to meet the aperture you've already chosen.

There's a little bit of trial-and-error, but that's how you learn.  Go grab a toy or something and try it yourself.  Experiment - what happens when you move the flash closer?  Farther?  Sideways?  Up?  Down?  What happens at smaller apertures?  Larger?  With enough experimentation, there's less trial-and-error going on when it matters.


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## jwbryson1 (Aug 6, 2011)

Orions, I posted my comments before your post so I had not seen it yet.  Anyhow, still no answer to the best backdrop on a budget?  Any suggestions?


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## kirbym2 (Aug 14, 2011)

Thought I'd follow up with my progress... first "low-key" shots.  @OrionsByte... I have to thank you in advance, you sort of got me going in the right direction, and your example was my initial inspiration.  Apologies for the copy-cat look, but wanted to see if I could come close to be honest, and we had the little figure in the house already.  On a side note, I've started using a watermark - typically I see the TPF community shudder at this - "who's really going to steal my photos anyway?"  I get it.. but wanted to try it out.  Would welcome any feedback.

1.






2.





3.





Which do you prefer between 2 & 3... any tips, as well as comments and critiques welcome.
Thanks again for all the suggestions!


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## gsgary (Aug 14, 2011)

jwbryson1 said:


> Orions, I posted my comments before your post so I had not seen it yet.  Anyhow, still no answer to the best backdrop on a budget?  Any suggestions?



Any cheap black material will do, this was shot with a very cheap material off the market 





But you can use white also


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## KmH (Aug 14, 2011)

kirbym2 said:


> Trying to make a habit of asking a question each day/or get some feedback to enhance my skill set... !


For each question you ask here, be sure and commit to doing 5 Internet searches for related information.

By doing so you will discover information you didn't know, you would want to know.


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