High Key Portrait - 1st Attempt

[Mark Elberson]

This is my 1st attempt at a high key portrait so please be gentle :-) I'd love some constructive criticism though.


Strobist: 430EX camera left set to 1/4 power shot into 43'' translucent umbrella. 430 EX set to 1/2 power shot into wall behind subject. Triggered via CTR-301Ps.


Black & White Conversion and Vignette added in Photoshop


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[Dan Fleming]

That is a really cool technique. I think the fact that the hair is dark and detailed drags away from the eyes a little. I find when I have the image scrolled to where the hair is blocked out the image is a lot more captivating. However I think its a really cool picture!

[Mark Elberson]

Thanks for commenting!


I am going to try this again with some fill light because I think the shadows are a little distracting. I am an aspiring strobist and wanted to give this technique a try. The way I understand itis that if you expose for the eyes then you blow-out the highlights and get much more detail in the shadows which I think comes through in the hair in this case. I defintely see how it can pull your eye away from the rest of the frame though. Once I make my 2nd atempt I'll post that one too. Hopefully it's gets better instead of worse [:)]

[Sean Setters]

How about you do the same edit except do a white vignette instead of a black one? If you're in Photoshop, create a white layer behind the image. Then choose a circular selection, feather 150-250 pixels, and draw a circle around her. Select inverse, then delete the selection. I think it'll have a two-fold benefits--first, the light colored vignette will compliment the high-key portrait instead of detract from it, and second, you can lighten her hair ifthe hair isplaced in the gradient between thesubject and vignette, therefore making it less distracting.

[Mark Elberson]

Thanks Sean. I was hoping that you would chime in :-) I'll give your suggestions a try. As far as image capture goes though, what would you suggest I do with my lighting setup, etc?

[Chuck Lee]

This is my 1st attempt at a high key portrait so please be gentle


Mark,


Very intersting technique.


1) Look at the power output of your strobes. IMHO, they probably should have been reverse. The background is emminating light rather than just beinglight in shade. There is so much light that her leftear is glowing. The flare wraps around her and she has no edge definition (though this is a widely practiced technique.) If that's the effect you were looking for then you were succesful.


2) I agree with Sean that the vignette is detracting.


3) The shoot through light on her face looks great and the softness of the shadows smooths out her skin. The essence of "high-key" Next time ask the subject to wear darker make-up. It will help accentuate her eyes and lips.


4) Her hair is a bit tricky. It is the darkest part of the scene and rough with sharpshadow. Maybe apply a different color filter during the B&W conversion to lighten it slightly. Maybe even scrub with 20% gausian blur to take some of the sharpness out. Maybe a circular soft focus effect would further enhance the "dreamy" feel of this lighting technique.


Hope that was gentle. I'm learning too. As I always say, "You are your best critic"

[Sean Setters]

You know, I honestly don't have much experience with high-key portraiture. However, I think you need less contrast difference between light and shadow (less of a ratio). When you think about low-key portraiture, almost everything is black except for a small amount of highlight (and the highlight usually isn't very strong). So if we reverse that thinking, then your fill light might need to be at least1/2 the main and most likely more (possibly 1:1, with fill light slightly farther back for very light shadows). The background should be one stop over exposed compared to the subject.

[Keith B]

When I shoot high-key, I go 2 lights on the side of the subject and slightly behind, angle forward slightly and about subject height. I like big umbrellas for this, 60" Eclipse. Then I put my fill light up high in front of subject so it can light the hair pretty well and can also leave trace shadows under the nose, jaw and eye brows to have some definition. I like my 36" Softlighter for the fill. It give the nice round catch too. Use white reflectors to bounce more light from the back key lights onto the subject and to flag from coming back into the lens. I'd go something less than 1/1 on the power. Use wider f/stops it will help from having to power up you lights and the shallow depth of field with the high key will help with a dreamy look.

[Mark Elberson]

Sean & Chuck,


Thanks for your critique and advice. I must admit this was a rather imprompt setup and shot. I don't have nearly enough time to spend working on my craft. I guess I'll just learn a little more slowly. That's ok though...as I long as I eventually get it :-) I have a serious desire to learnso I will continue to experiment (at my admitedly remedial pace) and hopefully progress with time.


Here's the RAW conversion from DPP. I just knocked down the contrast a little. I hope to take another try at this and when I do I'll post that photo.


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[Mark Elberson]

When I shoot high-key, I go 2 lights on the side of the subject and slightly behind, angle forward slightly and about subject height. I like big umbrellas for this, 60" Eclipse. Then I put my fill light up high in front of subject so it can light the hair pretty well and can also leave trace shadows under the nose, jaw and eye brows to have some definition. I like my 36" Softlighter for the fill. It give the nice round catch too. Use white reflectors to bounce more light from the back key lights onto the subject and to flag from coming back into the lens. I'd go something less than 1/1 on the power. Use wider f/stops it will help from having to power up you lights and the shallow depth of field with the high key will help with a dreamy look.
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Thanks so much for sharing your setup Keith. I'd love to see one of yours!

[Chuck Lee]

Here's the RAW conversion from DPP. I just knocked down the contrast a little. I hope to take another try at this and when I do I'll post that photo.


Mark,


Remember, High-Key doesn't mean washed out. Here's one of a series I did of my youngest for My Mom.


http://ChuckLee.zenfolio.com/img/v8/p380680299-4.jpg

[Mark Elberson]

Cool pic Chuck. Maybe I missunderstood what High Key really was. I thought the purpose was overexpose the highlights and to retain detail in the shadows. Here's an example from Wikipedia. Do you think this acurately represents high key? Not trying to be a wise guy. Just trying to learn :)





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[Chuck Lee]

Do you think this acurately represents high key


Personally, No.


It is high key, but I would think that there is also an additionalname for this style.


Here is what I consider to be high key
<h2><span style="font-size: small; color: #808080; font-family: Arial;"]Lighting Techniques for High Key Portrait Photography ("http://www.amherstmedia.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&amp;Product_Code=1736&amp;Categor y_Code=)</h2>


To me, high-key is a portrait style that uses a light background(usually white) and good lighting which wraps the subject in light. The result is a lumination and smoothing of the skin. The subject seems wrapped and bathed in light. It does not mean that the subject is washed out.


Would you considerthis high-key?


http://ChuckLee.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p1041610239-3.jpg


I would. Then again, I could be wrong.

[Chuck Lee]

Mark,


May I post a processed version ofyour photo?

[Mark Elberson]

Mark,


May I post a processed version ofyour photo?
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Absolutely! I'll reprocess the RAW and try to bring some detail back for you so it's not so washed out.


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[Sean Setters]

Do you think this acurately represents high key?


I'd say that picture from Wikipedia exemplifies high-key portraiture. That's what I think of when the term is used.


When I said knock down the contrast, I didn't mean in post. The problem is when you knock down the contrast in post, you basically kill all your highlights. The problem with high-key portraiture is that you need about 4 lights to do it right--two on the background and two on the subject (at least when photographing an adult). In my personal opinion, Chuck, simply having a white background isn't enough--and I wouldn't consider the photo you posted to be high key. That said, I could be wrong too... ;-)

[Mark Elberson]

When I said knock down the contrast, I didn't mean in post.





I know :-) I was just trying to get the best out of what I already had. I am very much looking forward to attempting this again. I'm not even sure if I really like high key (I did like that baby portrait) but Iwas intrigued and wanted to give it a try. I have 4 lights so I'll try your setup. I'll also try the Keith B suggested. I think that required 3 or 4 lights as well (maybe more!). Once I give this a 2nd whirl I'll share those too.

[Sean Setters]

Great....looking forward to seeing it!

[Chuck Lee]

Here's what I was thinking: Obviously, I have some misconceptions about what high-key is.


http://www.partsense.com/Photos/Examples/MarkE-HighKey.jpg


I'm looking at Lighting Essential Techniques from Preston Publications ("http://www.phototechmag.com/) and did a search for "high-key" there is an example sitedof a bride on a white background. It say's "This is classic high-key lighting: pure white background, white clothes, brightly lit, with no flare or loss of detail." Sorta sounds like the second example I posted.


They define high-key as: "A traditional high-key photo is one with most of the tones above middle gray, with a white or very light background. The feeling is upbeat, happy, and full of energy."<span style="font-size: small; color: #272627; font-family: Sabon-Roman;"]<span style="font-size: small; color: #272627; font-family: Sabon-Roman;"]<span style="font-size: small; color: #272627; font-family: Sabon-Roman;"]


I personally considered "high-key" as brighter backgroundthan subject outline which isolates and draws attention to the subject. I consider "low-key" as dark(er) background with subject isolated by highlights. I consider "mid key" as portraiture that uses background elements that compliment the subject. Usually, background and subject share the same tonal ranges. I do not know if this would describe a subject photographed against a bright color or brightly colored object.


Now, there is a technique used quite frequently now, that blows out everything so that the subject blends into the white background just like the picture of the infant from wikipedia. I guess you could say it's high-key but it's not what I would consider the classic definition.


Then again, I could be wrong. [:D]

[Sean Setters]

hehe...and from now on all Chuck's and my posts all have to end with, "Then again, I could be wrong" from now on!


Ok, I thought I'd have a go at it. My version:


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I think the best way to achieve the high-key look is to do some dodging on the areas where you see shadows. " High-key lighting is a style of lighting for film, television, or photography that aims to reduce the lighting ratio present in the scene." Chuck's right in that high-key photography isn't limited to black &amp; white photos where the highlights are so blown out that they mesh with the background. However, that is a popular form of high-key photography--so popular, in fact, that the term is now epitomized by those particular traits.

[Joel Bookhammer]

Hey Mark here is an example of what I think of when I hear "high key" with a b/w image, or maybe its just a black and white image with someone whos skin tone is just a hair over printer paper. :) Hope it gives you some insperation, Im no expert just another photographer who loves taking pictures. And we all look at things in a different light.....lame i know.....but its true look at others images and learn from them but in the end if you like it then so be it.


Thanks


Joel


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BTW my recently acquired 85 1.2 II is sharp as a tack, even at 1.2 as seen above.....although at this distance the end of a tack is about all that would be in focus. :)

[BES]

I think you guys are fantastic...I am learning quite a bit.


Here is what I understand "high key" is, this is from my sister-in-law gallery.


http://www.fanfoto.pl/portretkarolinahighkeymellisana.html#foto

[Chuck Lee]

Joel and BES,


Those are both great examples.


Great thread Mark... thanks for starting it!


May...be...a start for another thread: Show us your High Key Portraits!!

[Mark Elberson]

BTW my recently acquired 85 1.2 II is sharp as a tack, even at 1.2 as seen above.....although at this distance the end of a tack is about all that would be in focus. :)
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Greatshot Joel. I really like the DOF in this one where one eye is in focus and the other isn't. You are a very lucky man to own such a magnificent lens! Way to put it to good use :-)

[Mark Elberson]

Great thread Mark... thanks for starting it!
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Thanks! Hopefully we get a lot more contributions so that we can see everyone's different interpretation.