Hi-Key

bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
edited September 26, 2009 in People
660605588_h8HRg-X2.jpg
bd@bdcolenphoto.com
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed

Comments

  • adbsgicomadbsgicom Registered Users Posts: 3,615 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2009
    There's something interesting in the way the dog's nose almost exactly replaces her eye and the parallels of her arm and his body.
    - Andrew

    Who is wise? He who learns from everyone.
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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2009
    BD, with all due respect, it's a high contrast shot, but not a high key. In a classic High Key one shouldn't have shadows (lower 1/4th of the histogram), while not actually overexposing highlights (upper 1/4th). Your image doesn't qualify on both aspects ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2009
    Nikolai wrote:
    BD, with all due respect, it's a high contrast shot, but not a high key. In a classic High Key one shouldn't have shadows (lower 1/4th of the histogram), while not actually overexposing highlights (upper 1/4th). Your image doesn't qualify on both aspects ne_nau.gif
    OMG! Another "rule" broken! rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • Wil DavisWil Davis Registered Users Posts: 1,692 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2009
    …but surely the exception proves the rule. rolleyes1.gif

    - Wil

    PS: B. D. your picture reminded me of Andreas Feininger's 1951 "The Photojournalist"
    "…………………" - Marcel Marceau
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2009
    bdcolen wrote:
    OMG! Another "rule" broken! rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif
    It's not about breaking the rules (like the the rules of third), but being on the same page. There are a lot of novice photographers visiting these pages, don't you agree it would be better for everybody if we all use the same terminology at least for the educational purposes if nothing else? ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited September 25, 2009
    This is why I call myself "artistically challenged", because I will never understand why this is a good shot. ne_nau.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
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  • toddbtoddb Registered Users Posts: 114 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2009
    I agree with Nikolai
    I am one person trying to better understand photography and use these forums as a pretty good source for evaluating different styles and learning new things. If it's not 'Hi-Key' then it's not hi-key. As someone with years of experience working in video I'm all for breaking the rules for artistic purposes, but this doesn't seem like a case of breaking the rules. It just isn't hi-key. I could be wrong -- I'm a newbie so I apologize if I'm off base getting into this discussion.

    Just my two cents worth -- or less. :)
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    This is why I call myself "artistically challenged", because I will never understand why this is a good shot. ne_nau.gif
    Perhaps it's not. I'm the first to say we're our own worst editors. What makes me say 'wow!' may well make you say 'WTF?!' :D.
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • Mr. QuietMr. Quiet Registered Users Posts: 1,047 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2009
    It is in the eye of the beholder I say again!
    If you work at something hard enough, you WILL achieve your goal. "Me"

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  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2009
    Was "Hi-key," now "Woman and Dog."
    bdcolen wrote:
    Perhaps it's not. I'm the first to say we're our own worst editors. What makes me say 'wow!' may well make you say 'WTF?!' :D.


    Okay - Now that I have a real keyboard under my fingers, allow me to return to the hi-key/not hi-key, does it matter? question.

    I have dipped into several 'how to' books, done some cruising around via Google, and, with all due respect - and much is due - to my technically astute friend Nikolai, hi-key seems pretty much be in the eye of the beholder, within certain limits. I'll warrant you there are those who would say that to be hi-key there should be no shadows, no blacks, and virtually no contrast in the image. There would also be those who would say that a hi-key - high key? - image is one in which the exposure range has been shifted a couple stops to the right. As I recall, my old Olympus OM-4ti had a hi-key and low-key button set - push the first, put the spot meter on the brightest spot in the frame, and you'd get that as white, shifting everything upwards - similarly, push the other button with the spot on a black object and you'd get it as black, rather than as 18% grey.

    What's my point? This isn't a fight worth fighting. rolleyes1.gif I think of this as a hi-key image because of the way I shifted the exposure. If Nikolai doesn't agree, he can call it anything he wants to - including crap; I've got no problem with that.rolleyes1.gif As always, what I care about is the image. Like it, and I've succeeded. Don't and I've failed. What it's called in terms of technicalities, whether there is some "rule" broken or definition violated - I really don't care.:D I'd say look at the forms, look at the composition, look at the expressions - look at the image Either it works or it doesn't.
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2009
    bdcolen wrote:
    ...What's my point? This isn't a fight worth fighting. rolleyes1.gif
    With the new name, we have a consensus thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2009
    Nikolai wrote:
    With the new name, we have a consensus thumb.gif
    clap.gifthumb.gif
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
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