2023-01-10 High Key
With winter landscapes all around us, it almost comes natural to take “High Key” images. You almost always have to compensate your exposure to not under expose due to the bright snow background. Let’s use this natural bright background to push exposure even further and bring out the “Essence” of your subject in a High Key image.
High Key refers to pure white backgrounds and a detailed subject. High Key is often used in portrait photography, however it can be used in many genres—from wildlife photography to commercial photography to landscape photography and more.
Click here for examples of High Key in Landscape photography. For Portrait examples click here. For still life examples click here.
37 Responses to 2023-01-10 High Key
Henri says:
January 11, 2023 at 10:54 am
Here is a recent image of Crispin posing for us in the snow. He is as good as a professional model and is eager to pose as soon as the camera is pointed in his direction. I thought this is an example of High Key photography because the snowy background is so bright that you have to over-expose the scene to properly expose the subject.
Della says:
January 15, 2023 at 3:57 pm
watched a YouTube video of high key photography, the flower was placed in front of a translucent sheet, part of my reflector set and the flash was placed behind it. This is my not very successful result. I was trying for no shadows but still got some, ISO 100 f9 101mm 1/60
Debbie McCluskey says:
January 15, 2023 at 7:08 pm
I planted an amaryllis bulb in November to bloom for Christmas. It was late and in full bloom this past week. I thought the deep reds would be perfect for High Key assignment. Well, 200 plus photos and high key articles, I am still not sure if I captured the assignment correctly. This image was taken with a sage green wall for the background, natural light from the window and the dining room light on with a tripod. The setting was F5, 3 second, ISO set to 100 (reduce noise in the picture) and exposure plus 2. Only post processing is it is cropped.
Debbie McCluskey says:
January 15, 2023 at 7:10 pm
This was the original image I was going to submit, done in my bow window in the living room. I think the red is too strong, and it is more backlit than it should. This is with my 300, 2/5 seconds, ISO 100, exposure 0. The post processing was cropping out the dark window lines and adjusting the lighting curve.
Frankie says:
January 16, 2023 at 10:27 pm
I also looked at a lot of high key images online! There’s quite a variety – this looks like a good example to me. Very pretty!
Henri says:
January 19, 2023 at 9:17 am
I like the composition even though the green elements are under exposed. The whole image has a “soft” sense to it. The three leaves add interest.
Frankie says:
January 16, 2023 at 10:36 pm
ISO 2000, 140 mm, f/7.1, 1/20 sec, ev +3 (over-exposed by 3 stops, my shortcut for adjusting exposure). Colour shot.
I looked at many example images online. I think I went overboard because this took a lot of fixing up in Apple Photos, but I wanted to make sure the background was washed out.
Henri says:
January 19, 2023 at 9:19 am
This image sure highlights the bark. I love the “wrap around” light variation of the two outside trunks.
Frankie says:
January 16, 2023 at 11:12 pm
Maybe a deer vertebra? Found in eastern Alberta.
I set it down on the snow in the shade on a sunny day.
ISO 1250, 108 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec, ev +1.67
Frankie says:
January 17, 2023 at 10:13 am
One website said for true high key, there should be no tone darker than 50% grey. The author went on to say that some darker elements could make the photo more interesting, however. The definition seems flexible and opinions abound.
One tip was to spot focus on the subject with a bright background and then manually open up one stop (not three, as I did!).
Both my photos are colour and look good when I make them b/w.
Fred Schwering says:
January 17, 2023 at 6:49 pm
Common Gallinule at Circle B Bar Reserve close to where we are in Florida.
Reflection off the water to get the overexposed background.
f/2.8, ISO 320, 1/250 sec, 510 mm
I used spot exposure on the bird’s body. Not all that happy with the details on the bird.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Henri says:
January 19, 2023 at 9:29 am
Good example of “High Key”. You could have a look at shadows and highlight controls in Photoshop Elements. Try brightening the shadows, darkening the highlights and playing with the mid-tone contrast. Here is an example.
Ron says:
January 19, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Nice improvements Henri – this looks great!
Fred Schwering says:
January 23, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Thanks Henry, good suggestions.
Fred Schwering says:
January 23, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Tried the technique on another shot of the same bird. The result shows more colours and I realized that it is a Purple Gallinule not a Common Gallinule.
Ron says:
January 19, 2023 at 2:09 pm
Pair of crows on the Waverly homestead chimney at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. Shot with 300 mm telephoto, into the sun with grey sky background. ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/400. Sharpening in GIMP.
Henri says:
January 20, 2023 at 11:27 am
Another good example of “High Key”. I like the detail in the chimney boulders. The crows obviously have some sort of a conversation. The image tells a story. I would have tried to “push” the exposure on the left crow further. Maybe with a brush tool.
Ron says:
January 20, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Yes, I agree. Interesting that when I display it on the iPad, there is much more detail showing in the left crow.
Ron says:
January 20, 2023 at 1:30 pm
Here’s another version after using the “dodging” tool in GIMP
Frankie says:
January 21, 2023 at 7:50 am
Hmmm, I like the first one better. But after researching and doing this fun and interesting assignment, I think I like low key photos better in general.
Maybe these are ravens? (Curvier beaks.) More detail on the iPad, wondering if that’s before you sized it down for posting.
Ron says:
January 23, 2023 at 3:05 pm
Here’s yet another version. This time I used the curves tool in GIMP to bring out the details in the left Raven then used layers to place the revised bird over the original image.
Henri says:
January 20, 2023 at 11:38 am
Here is my attempt at a studio image in High Key style. I liked the white structure on a white background. The scene was lit with a single large ring light. The LED lights were set to “warm”. The image was adjusted in post processing with the levels tool, and the white point was selected on the brightest surface. The lighthouse was a Christmas project done on our Cricut paper cutting machine.
Henri says:
January 21, 2023 at 11:31 am
Here is a B&W version with extra lighting on the curved background.
Dwight Adams says:
January 20, 2023 at 3:53 pm
I did these two photos at home using laser photo paper as a backdrop. The figure was an action doll and the manual focus setting with timer the shown led flashlight on the doll.
I was also using the High Key setting on the Nikon.
iso 100 f5.6 4sec
Dwight Adams says:
January 20, 2023 at 3:54 pm
number 2
Shannon says:
January 22, 2023 at 2:50 pm
An attempt at high key using a tea cup, white poster board as a background and some other props. ISO 100, 1/40 sec. @ f/2.8, 100mm focal length.
Shannon says:
January 22, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Same teacup image as above but converted to black and white in LR.
Beth says:
January 22, 2023 at 6:47 pm
Inglewood Bird Sanctuary on Sunday after fresh snow. Taken with my 70-300 mm lens at f/8, 1/800 sec, ISO 250
Beth says:
January 22, 2023 at 6:50 pm
Hat hung on tree right after fresh snow. Taken with my 70-300 mm lens, at f/7.1, 1/180 sec, ISO 250
Ron says:
January 23, 2023 at 3:16 pm
Dry plant sticking out of the snow at Glenbow Ranch. ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/250.
Ron says:
January 23, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Can’t decide if I like the b&w version better or not … I’d be interested to hear other’s opinions.
Joe Horler says:
January 23, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Hello Boomeristas. Yes it has been quite a few months but Diana and I have turned the corner with our move finished in late November and just now getting really settled in .
So in the past week we have embarked on a few photography drives north east of the city in search of the elusive snowy owl. No luck yet.
But some great sunset landscapes.
Captured Jan 18 at 5:20pm north of Strathmore off Hwy 9.
Fuji GFX jpeg ISO 100/F 7.1/SS@11/100 . High Key treatment using Luminar Neo.
Joe Horler says:
January 23, 2023 at 7:49 pm
On Saturday night the FIS World Cup Ski Half Pipe Competition finals were at COP. Talk about a challenge to capture anything: big spectator crowd (hard to get a camera viewpoint), alternate bright lights or darkness; need to shoot at ridiculous ISO and fast shutter; shooting handheld in bundled winter gear at night.
Anyways out of 750 images a captured a few I have tired to process (this one I then worked it over again in Luminar NEO to try and give it a high key flavour.
Fuji XT-5 shooting a 100-400 (crop)lens at 600mm Ff equivalent ISO 12,800/F 5.0/SS@1/2000 and handheld.
Bill Stilwell says:
January 24, 2023 at 11:35 am
Used Strobe lights with adjusted barn door wings to light the background wall which is a yellow delicate patterned wall paper. The attempt was to have it at least 1.5 f stops brighter than the subject.
ISO 200, f 5.6, 1/40 s.
Extensive post processing using Luminar 4 to crop slightly rotate, erase distractions, and get a better white balance.
Bill Stilwell says:
January 24, 2023 at 11:36 am
Used Strobe lights with adjusted barn door wings to light the background wall which is a yellow delicate patterned wall paper. The attempt was to have it at least 1.5 f stops brighter than the subject.
ISO 200, f 5.6, 1/40 s.
Extensive post processing using Luminar 4 to crop slightly rotate, and erase distractions
Bill Stilwell says:
January 24, 2023 at 11:38 am
Used Strobe lights with adjusted barn door wings to light the background wall which is a yellow delicate patterned wall paper. The attempt was to have it at least 1.5 f stops brighter than the subject.
ISO 200, f 4.0, 1/100 s.
Extensive post processing using Luminar 4 to crop slightly rotate, and erase distractions.
Bill Stilwell says:
January 24, 2023 at 11:41 am
Used Strobe lights with adjusted barn door wings to light the background wall which is a yellow delicate patterned wall paper. The attempt was to have it at least 1.5 f stops brighter than the subject.
ISO 200, f 5.6, 1/40 s.
Extensive post processing using Luminar 4 to crop slightly rotate, and erase distractions.
I hope no one notices the lurker in the right portal or that we are doing our best to minimize burning fossil fuels to warm our home.
