Low Key Lighting

Unlike high key lighting low key lighting looks to increase the contrast of the subject and the environment.

Low key lighting. Traditional photographic lighting three point lighting uses a key light a fill light and a back light for illumination. Low key s transition from highlight to shadow is much quicker and more dramatic and harsh. Images taken in low key lighting create a mysterious and dramatic mood. It does this by using shadows and dark tones.

Low key refers to a style of photography that utilizes predominantly dark tones to create a dramatic looking image. Where high key lighting seeks to over light the subject to the point of reduced contrast low key lighting intensifies the contrast in an image through intensely reduced lighting. A low key image is where most of the colors and tones are dark. In the image above you will notice that the actors face isn t necessarily covered in a hard black shadow but the overall tone of.

They can display a varying range of deep negative emotions. What is low key lighting. Though the technique itself is simple mastering the art of low key photography can take some time. It gives depth feeling and emotion and is an invigorating challenge for novice and professional photographers alike.

Examples of low key lighting. Low key lighting enhances shadows in your scene. In a low key image the majority of the tones and colors are dark. Low key photography creates a mysterious atmosphere.

Low key lighting is a style of lighting for photography film or television it is a necessary element in creating a chiaroscuro effect. A more practical reason to use low key lighting would be to hide the environment you are shooting in. What is low key lighting. Low key lighting is a style of lighting for film and photography that has an emphasis on shadows.

The low key technique uses a lot of darker tones shadows and blacks the really deep ones. What is low key lighting. A common theme in low key lighting. Low key lighting often uses only a key light optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector.

The style is achieved by using hard source lighting within the scene. Low key lighting typically involves lots of contrast and creates an entirely different mood than high key lighting. Low key lighting creates stunning contrasts in your images along with mood and mystery. The images have striking contrasts achieved by reduced lighting and in this technique shadows become the primary element of the composition.

Usually low key lighting is very close to a subject and the light source is typically dimmer to accommodate this. Low key lighting is a lighting technique for film that focuses on accentuating shadows by using hard source lighting in a scene. Low key lighting is also a mainstay of film noir where the minimal light sources and deep shadows are instantly recognizable. In the image below the model was lit with a single softbox light source.

Contrary to high key lighting which aims to minimize shadows low key lighting aims to increase contrast through the use of shadows and dark tones. Photos taken in low key lighting therefore have very minimal amounts of mid tones and whites.