# High Key



## Alpha (Feb 10, 2008)

What's up with portrait photographers shooting nearly every baby, toddler, and child photo high key these days? They already have perfectly even skin! I know it's a kind of "in" thing, but still. Take it easy people!


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Feb 10, 2008)

LOL - I don't know but I am guilty too.  By the way I reworked that one you said could be a classic beuty shot and you were right - it looks much better now, not in the edited to be high key.


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## MichaelT (Feb 11, 2008)

Guilty as charged.  I just happen to have the props and stuff set up at that end of the camera room.  I'm thinking of reworking it to be able to quickly go to black.


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## Christie Photo (Feb 11, 2008)

MaxBloom said:


> They already have perfectly even skin!



Hmmm....  I bet you're talking about *high contrast* photography rather than high key.  High contrast is quite popular, especailly for a high fashion look.

High key portaits feature all white (or very light) tones in the subject, clothing and props with a white (or very light) background.

It seems that all trends do cycle.  Thirty years ago, high key was very hot in senior portraiture, with some studios doing exclusively high key.

-Pete


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## The_Traveler (Feb 11, 2008)

High key, high contrast, HDR, doesn't anyone just take pictures anymore.


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## Alex_B (Feb 11, 2008)

The_Traveler said:


> High key, high contrast, HDR, doesn't anyone just take pictures anymore.


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## Christie Photo (Feb 11, 2008)

The_Traveler said:


> High key, high contrast, HDR, doesn't anyone just take pictures anymore.



I wonder if these three should be included in the same list.

High Key refers to compsition.

High Contrast is an exposure technique.

HDR is a processing treatment.

No matter....  there are LOTS of folks who "just take pictures."  But as photographers, we are charged with MAKING or CREATING photographs.  But this is a topic for another thread.

-Pete


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## Alpha (Feb 11, 2008)

High key refers to lighting...not composition.


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## JimmyJaceyMom (Feb 11, 2008)

The_Traveler said:


> High key, high contrast, HDR, doesn't anyone just take pictures anymore.


 

I do, but you dont tell me anything about them.


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## Christie Photo (Feb 12, 2008)

MaxBloom said:


> High key refers to lighting...not composition.



This is an incorrect statement.


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## BPALMER (Feb 12, 2008)

he artistic-seeming tones of white on white brings to mind the innocence of youth, the fabric of dreams and long, hot summer days. In photography, the effect can be easily achieved by choosing elements of a white or pastel color placed on a white or very light background.White curtains blowing in the breeze, white birches tufted with cotton snow, or a feather storm of a pillow fight are qualifiers for a high key photo. The center of interest benefits from a darker tone, contrasting with the light tones of the surrounding environment and bringing the eye to the action. Subtle shades of white and gray enhance the colors or darker tones of the main subject.
Often, a white vignetting filter can be used judiciously, blending the portion of the subject with the background. To make a vignetting filter, cut a four inch square from some colorless, pliable, and translucent material. In the center cut a small (one half by three quarter inch) hole with a nail scissors. Place the vignetter in about one half inch in front of the lens. Extra light may be aimed at the vignetter for a whiter effect. Vignetting can also be achieved with the computer. In your photo editor, choose the airbrush set at 300 pixels wide and 50% strength. Pass the brush repeatedly around the edges of the image, creating the fade out effect. When making the original exposure set the camera to overexpose the subject one f stop. The reason for this is that the camera light sensor will try to expose whites as light gray, underexposing the image.
In printing, care should be taken to insure a proper ratio of white, near white and deeper tones. If the photo is printed too dark, the high key effect is lost, and if printed too light, no detail will be discernible in the near-white tones. For a water color effect, leave lots of room around the edges (white) and mat carefully using white, black, or delicate pastel colors. A water color filter will further enhance the high key effect. If you have children, make a list of the white clothes available for a magical white on white shoot. They'll all come out like angels.
If you do something, be the best at it.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_C._Hoffman


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## Alpha (Feb 12, 2008)

Christie Photo said:


> This is an incorrect statement.



No offense, but have you read a textbook definition of high key lately? There's no question that it is a lighting technique. If you disagree, you could at least explain why intead of being obnoxiously vague.


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## jols (Feb 12, 2008)

composition is where everything is placed in the pic

the high key is the lighting surely


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## Christie Photo (Feb 12, 2008)

MaxBloom said:


> No offense, but have you read a textbook definition of high key lately? There's no question that it is a lighting technique. If you disagree, you could at least explain why intead of being obnoxiously vague.



Well, I'm not offended.  I just wanted to be as brief as you were.

And, no....  I've not read any textbooks lately.  My authority comes from my experience as a working professional for more than 25 years...  much like those who write textbooks.

I can understand your confusion about the term "high-key."  It has been incorrectly used, especially in recent years, to describe high contrast, nearly over-exposed lighting that is often seen in the fashion industry.  No doubt there is much written about "high-key lighting."  In fact, I think when the term is applied to lighting, it is more of a video concern.

But when the term is applied to portraiture (we first stated talking about portrait photographers), it refers to coordination of background and subject tones, or "keying" the background with the subject.

The citation that BPALMER posted from Ken Hoffman's article said it well:  "In photography, the effect can be easily achieved by choosing elements of a white or pastel color placed on a white or very light background."  Further, it answers your original question of why high-key is often chosen for children's portraits when he said, "The artistic-seeming tones of white on white brings to mind the innocence of youth, the fabric of dreams and long, hot summer days."

Another natural choice for high-portraits is bridal photography, since most brides dress in white.

So...  it's not really a question of whether or not I agree.  It's about being accurate.  I trust I have expounded sufficiently so as not to be called "obnoxiously vague."

-Pete


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## dpolston (Feb 12, 2008)




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## jols (Feb 12, 2008)

Christie Photo said:


> Well, I'm not offended. I just wanted to be as brief as you were.
> 
> And, no.... I've not read any textbooks lately. My authority comes from my experience as a working professional for more than 25 years... much like those who write textbooks.
> 
> ...


 

fair point you sound like you know your stuff i stand corrected.


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## MichaelT (Feb 12, 2008)

This is great to read - however I can see where both are coming from. Though high-key is a style of portraiture, you must know and wisely use your lighting to achieve it.


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## Alpha (Feb 12, 2008)

Pete, what you said, and cited, is true, but only provided that they're all lit the same way. 

Shooting a bride against a white background isn't so much high-key if I underexpose the background and turn it gray. Composing a scene with even light tones doesn't mean anything unless you light it as such.


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## Christie Photo (Feb 12, 2008)

MaxBloom said:


> Shooting a bride against a white background isn't so much high-key if I underexpose the background and turn it gray.



That would be right.  High-key is white* on white, so the gray wouldn't quite cut it, unless it's a _very_ light gray.



> Composing a scene with even light tones doesn't mean anything unless you light it as such.



Yes.  High-key portraiture does require proper lighting.  In a scene that is approaching mono-chromatic, it will be the shadows that provide definition and shape.  So if the lighting scheme is too "flat," or lacking direction, there will be little shadow to communicate shape.  But still, it's the colors (or lack of) in the compositon that will make a portait high-key.

-Pete


*For the purpose of this discussion, white may also be pastel color.


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## AlexParlett (Feb 12, 2008)

I have to agree, i find composing shoots in high key to be lacking, it doesnt have the "edgier" look of classic beauty compositions, too fake for what i like. *personal preference*


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## Jovian (Feb 12, 2008)

Why do people feel the need to nitpick at how someone words something?  Isn't lighting considered part of your composition as a whole?  I've always considered composition as a collection of EVERYTHING in the photograph, from placement of the subject(s) in it, to color or exposure.


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## DeadEye (Feb 12, 2008)

Hummm well I looked at a few High Key portraits a friend of mine had done at Target and was truly amazed at there quality. I went there as a self assignment to look at the studio and try to learn something. The Ummm photographer there was very helpful in telling me all about the studio and even let me poke about. The COMPANY did all the setting up she just ran it by procedure.  Lets say someone wanted a basic portrait package. Then she tells you to sit in this chair were a little focus light that aims straight down from the ceiling hits the tip of your nose then you are in focus.  ( Yep the 46mm roll film camera has no focus adjustment available to the photog, hence perfect placement of subject by the focus light)  There were 2 umbrellas and a soft box plus back, fill and hair lights all controlled by a computer when you select your package.  All the photog did was change the film and hit the shutter when the focus light was on your nose and the smile/pose looked good.  Her quote was (I know nothing about light set up )  Very nice though.


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