How do you do this: high-key images?

[mukul_chou]

Dear members,


There has been a 'challenge' on dpreview "Redux: High-key Portrait"


How do you take such photos? By lighting arrangements/ post processing or both?


Please guide me

[Daniel Browning]

You just get a taller stand and move your key light up about 10 feet and then--oops. Wrong definition. []


To answer your question, I suggest going about 75% in lighting and do the rest in post. If you don

[nickds7]

Nik filters has a good filter for high key effects, although you will want to do some of the work with lighting as Dan said.


www.niksoftware.com/.../entry.php (Their example shows using a high-key filter on a pretty dark photo, it would have had a much better result with a photo with more light)

[Sean Setters]

I used three flashes for this one, and overexposed the image quite a bit. I'm not great shakes at high-key, but I was giving it a shot.

[Sheiky]

Perhaps my photo isn't technically correct, but here it is anyway:





Settings: 50mm f2 ISO-100 1/200s AV mode +1/3exp and a 430 EX2 flash on camera TTl, but I don't know what setting.





The picture is practically untouched. It is slightly cropped, some contrast is added and I removed all the colors.


I made this shot while shooting against the sun. The sun is behind the subject, but you could imagine that this could also be achieved by using a flash of some kind.


Good luck!


Jan

[Firestarter]

Hi, Jan,


This is an excellent example to show the original poster, how to achieve a high-key effect without using any sophisticated lighting equipment and/or sophisticated techniques. As you said, the photo could be improved technically, but it stands on its own, as it is.

[Sheiky]

Thanks,

As you said, the photo could be improved technically, but it stands on its own, as it is.

Yeah I'm aware it's no master-piece hehe [:P] But it's without needing to have a big setup. It's a fairly simple shot.

[peety3]

I used three flashes for this one, and overexposed the image quite a bit. I'm not great shakes at high-key, but I was giving it a shot.
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Sean, please don't do that. Her hair is too gorgeous to be washed out like that.