Trying DSS 18. Neva before!

Candid Arts

Well I've never done high/low key shots before, but find them very interesting. I have no idea how to do them. This is a photo I took awhile ago, and after some editing in LR2, this is what I got. Would this be considered low key? If not why not?

Any ideas on what could improve it? I'll obviously re-shoot for the challenge, as I'm not extremely fond of the composition, or clarity (this was taken with my old Canon S3IS). Now as I have the 50D and better lenses, I want to re-shoot.

Anyways, without further adue...:



Thanks for any help! I don't know what I'm doing (in regards to High/Low Key).

pyroPrints.com

This does look low key to me. Though unless you were trying to go for the out of focus look, i'd try to make sure it's focused and sharp.

Tango

+1

Candid Arts

pyroPrints.com wrote:

This does look low key to me. Though unless you were trying to go for the out of focus look, i'd try to make sure it's focused and sharp.

Thanks. Not going for the out of focus look, it was just a photo I took years ago. I'll be re-doing one for this challenge.

I might work with HIGH ISO, do something dramatic with a lot of grain, but still sharp.

I REALLY wanna do a High Key shot, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do it.

JAG

high key is the opposite of low key. Since low key the shadows are dark and the background is dark and little light is used...high key is blown out and not a shadow to be found! White background and lots of light with slower speed or bigger aperatures.

Candid Arts

JAG wrote:

high key is the opposite of low key. Since low key the shadows are dark and the background is dark and little light is used...high key is blown out and not a shadow to be found! White background and lots of light with slower speed or bigger aperatures.

I tried this, couldn't get anything I liked. I thought with high key, the key was to not blow the highlights out so there was still detail, but have that look of over exposure?

Candid Arts

Here is my newest try. This one actually for the challenge, but from the idea of the old photo.

...and yes, I'm purposely going for this dirty, grainy, angry look. Does it work?



Oh and my title so far is "Dark Contemplation"...

OR this one:

JAG

I like this one alot!

Actually when I say "blown out" for the high key I am refering to a completely white background. No shadows. The subject itself will have some depth to it..but with no shadows. The background should be non descriptive other than white or very very light.

Candid Arts

JAG wrote:

I like this one alot!

Actually when I say "blown out" for the high key I am refering to a completely white background. No shadows. The subject itself will have some depth to it..but with no shadows. The background should be non descriptive other than white or very very light.

Thank You. What do/do not you like about it? Anything to make it better?

Ahh. Gotchya. I'll try something with that. School is keeping me a bit busy right now. This is my second challenge since 14 (w/ "Check Mate"). Figured I'd give it a go again. Plus I've never done it before sooo. A challenge is always good.

angevin1

I think the comp is a good one! but, I am not a big fan of anger...so I vote for the not angry look.....and no hair either...just skin~

cheers, tom

divamum

Actually, I"d say Checkmate was kind of a low key shot, iirc....

I like the gritty one too +1.

Btw, if you look for some of Scott Quier's and Nikolai's recent shoot discussions in the People forum they both shared their setups for high key "fashion style" shoots in multiple threads. Bottom line? TON O' LIGHT.

{edited because I can't write properly on only one cup of coffee...}

Candid Arts

So concensus is a not so angry look? What about depressed, or something along those line? My insane, crazy, instituionalized? There is kind of a look I'm going for with this photo... Would one of these other ideas look better? Or portray it better?

I am also going to try high key, so obviously not so dark. This is just one of many attempts, hopefully if school doesn't get in the way.

Candid Arts

Here is another trial... What do you guy's think?



Oh...and any comment on my question in my last post?

Candid Arts wrote:

So concensus is a not so angry look? What about depressed, or something along those line? My insane, crazy, instituionalized? There is kind of a look I'm going for with this photo... Would one of these other ideas look better? Or portray it better?.

Llywellyn

I don't mind the angry--emotion of any kind in a photograph is good to me--but if you're game to experiment with other emotions, by all means do so! And have fun doing it.

I prefer the gritty/angry one, though I also wonder what it would look like with the hair cropped out.

For the eye, anything that close up starts to give me the heebie-jeebies. It's cool, but it freaks me out a bit. But that's a reaction from your viewer, which is never a bad thing.

Candid Arts

Here's one without the hair:



Here is same photo -1 stop:



Here I edited the Clarity and under sharpening in LR2, I bumped Amount, Radius and Detail, all in JPEG format so it made it even granier:

Llywellyn

I prefer the first of the no-hair-angry versions you just posted.

richtersl

Me too!

Candid Arts

Ok. Well so far I put this one in, unless anyone has any other ideas or thoughts on it?

Thanks everyone for your help!

Now how about a title? As of now I titled it "Dark Contemplation". I don't really like it...but also don't have a huge vocabulary...

The Curious Camel

Candid Arts Here is my newest try. This one actually for the challenge, but from the idea of the old photo.

...and yes, I'm purposely going for this dirty, grainy, angry look. Does it work?



Oh and my title so far is "Dark Contemplation"...

I wouldn't necessarily say it looks like anger, could be pain. I like it though.

peace, gail

Candid Arts

The Curious Camel wrote:

I wouldn't necessarily say it looks like anger, could be pain. I like it though.

peace, gail

Do you like this one (with the hair) more than the newest one without the hair?

The Curious Camel

Candid Arts wrote:

Do you like this one (with the hair) more than the newest one without the hair?

Personally I like the first ones. It's a more personal and close up feel to it.

Intense even.

good luck

gail