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Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 42: High Key & Low Key Lighting
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This week Mark Wallace talks about high key and low key lighting. In it’s simplest terms a high key image is a bright image full of light and mostly white tones whilst a low key image is a dark with minimal lighting and rich in black tones and lots of shadow areas. Let’s explore these two dramatic lighting alternatives.
She is a real model…..beautiful!. like your video.
The correct pronunciation of CHIAROSCURO is “kee-ahh-roe-skoo-roe”.
What is your/his camera setting when he took the low key, I guess we need a really fast shutter speed?
I have been watching your videos for some time now…and I have notices two things.
1: you know what you’re doing, I have learned so much from you…
Has she done any modelling other than these videos? 
2: Sam is a really….REALLY cute girl
I have been watching your videos for some time now…and I have notices two things.
1: you know what you’re doing, I have learned so much from you…
Has she done any modelling other than these videos? 
2: Sam is a really….REALLY cute girl
@FCPWHAT I created an 1.5 hour show just for speedlights using the PW mini/flex. You can find it on the pocketwizard blog and also on uStream. Unfortunately I’m not a heavy duty speedlight shooter, Joe McNally and David Hobby are the experts in that realm. Check out their work, it’s terrific.
@Sokra81 Yes, that’s exactly how you eliminate the shadow from a ringflash. Exactly right!
Nice video again. I was just wondering, how about a ring flash as the key light while lighting the background separately? I’d imagine that’d kill the shadows and lighting the backround separately would mean there was no “signature” ring light shadow around the model?
@snapfactory I appreciate your reply. Personally I use only two 580EX’s and two mini&Flex systems (2 tt5′s and 1 tt1) and a 30″ reflector shooting portraiture. It would be highly appreciated if you could include the said set-ups and/or similar into ‘more’ of your videos. I have seen a few of your videos that do concentrate on smaller set ups, it’s just that I don’t see enough of them! I appreciate you do these for free and am grateful for your time and efforts.
@FCPWHAT I totally agree. I have about 140 videos on this channel and hundreds more on AdoramaTV. I’ve also done vids for PocketWizard and others. I think I have about 30 hours of content on YouTube. I’ve used Profoto gear mainly because that’s what I’ve owned for years and can’t afford to buy a bunch of new gear (ironic, I know). But I’ve also used Novatron, Flashpoint, Nikon and Canon speedlights, White Lightning and Alien bees. Keep watching – you’ll see them.
I try to keep it diverse.
@acroduster I’m not suggesting that he should limit his equipment/instruction, but im sure it would be appreciated by many if his videos at least took into account photographers with much lesser equipment. BTW you’d be surprised what ‘professional’ working photographers work with.. Just because they are working, doesn’t necessarily mean they have top-notched equipment. I speak as a working mediaorgapher myself.
@FCPWHAT I dont think that he should limit his instruction to prosumer level shooting. his studio equipment is not unrealistic for professional full time working photographers.
Dont get me wrong. These are excelent tutorial vids.
@FCPWHAT You’re right. Ive noticed the same thing with all of his vids.
@FCPWHAT Agreed.
As much as I like these videos (and I do think they are very good), the presenter is always using top-of-line equipment, and a lot of it! Most photographers (including myself) only have 1 or 2 strobist lights. Though of course the principles of lighting are the same, using lesser equipment requires a little more thought.
Thanks so much for making these videos.
nice