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Archive 2013 · High Key....Not For Me?

  
 
DocsPics
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · High Key....Not For Me?


I don't favor high key images.....well at least most of the time

Let's see some of your favorite HK shots.







Jun 12, 2013 at 05:33 AM
AaronNegro
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · High Key....Not For Me?


Most of my portraits have a certain degree of HK.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6656569019_0f95bf791b_o.jpg



Jun 12, 2013 at 05:35 AM
alundeb
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · High Key....Not For Me?


Sometimes I process my long exposure waterscapes in the HK direction.
Still important to avoid blown highlights
Canon 5DII, 400 mm f/5.6, Gitzo 5 series tripod on a windy day.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rZorTX3b4nU/T7AK0HDu9AI/AAAAAAAABdo/66fy4og5-YY/s1600/pair_out.jpg



Jun 12, 2013 at 05:46 AM
danb121
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · High Key....Not For Me?


My two only real high key shots... TBH they're not that great but I haven't had much time to have another go


High Key by Daniel Borg, on Flickr



High Top by Daniel Borg, on Flickr



Edited on Jun 12, 2013 at 07:03 AM · View previous versions



Jun 12, 2013 at 06:52 AM
DocsPics
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · High Key....Not For Me?


^ Awesome


Jun 12, 2013 at 06:57 AM
alundeb
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · High Key....Not For Me?


It is very likely that we will see many images in this thread that are not really high key, but rather overxposure, or high contrast, or properly exposed subject against white background.

I agree with the guy here about what constitutes high key:

http://lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/lightposeguide9.html


Edited on Jun 12, 2013 at 07:19 AM · View previous versions



Jun 12, 2013 at 07:12 AM
justruss
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · High Key....Not For Me?


I don't know if I'm just being pedantic, but most of these aren't classic examples of high-key images in the traditional sense of the word.

High key doesn't mean "big swaths of highlight at the edge of blown." It means, "reduced tones pushed over into the light side of exposure, reducing or eliminating shadows/dark tones."

High key lighting is related. It's when the key-light (or main light) is set, in conjunction with any other lighting, to "overexpose" the image, generally resulting in a high key image. High key lighting doesn't have to produce high key images-- unlike the latter it can result in dark shadows and compressed, high contrast images.

I think we're seeing more examples here of high key lighting as opposed to high key images.



Jun 12, 2013 at 07:18 AM
justruss
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · High Key....Not For Me?


Haha... nice alundeb. Simultaneous post.


Jun 12, 2013 at 07:19 AM
jimmy462
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · High Key....Not For Me?


alundeb wrote:
It is very likely that we will see many images in this thread that are not really high key, but rather overxposure, or properly exposed subject against white background.

I agree with the guy here about what constitutes high key:

http://lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/lightposeguide9.html


Hi alundeb, etal,

To which, I'll argue, (and to start the debates early) of what consequence is it that the artist chooses to destroy either/both of their subject's lighting extremes? To put it another way, "If either blowing one's whites or crushing one's blacks suits the artistic vision/statement what, um, "crime" has been committed?"

Now I bring this up not to diminish the importance of a well-rounded understanding of lighting techniques and interpretations, their definitions, and their uses. My only point being, "If blowing one's highlights or crushing one's shadows serves to fulfill how the artist wishes to portray their scene, then what matter is it if they've exceeded a definition of terminology?"

Case in point, and not to put you in the hot seat, but rather a chance to broaden this discussion...your recent blog entry...

Overflate: Dramatisering:
http://overflate.blogspot.com/2013/06/dramatisering.html

...I think, constitutes a wonderful example of an image incorporating both High and Low key principles in a single image. (Kudos on that image, BTW!) Now without taking that file and examining it in software to determine if your whites exceed 255 or your blacks are beyond 0 (though I can tell just looking at it that you didn't), I would say that you not only covered your subject well, photographically, but artistically I found the image to be compelling. Now, another artist might have wished to bring their upper-right corner to clipping-white and their lower left corner to crushed-black...my point, then being, "So what?"

Now I bring all of this up not to dismiss further discussion, rather, just the opposite, I always love to hear the why's and how's of what other camera-slingers are up to, to know how they did things, and to know why they did things.

My apologies if I've faux pas'ed in any way here by singling out your work, it is not my intention to offend. I'll delete this post immediately on your request.

The very best to you,
Jimmy G



Jun 12, 2013 at 08:22 AM
alundeb
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · High Key....Not For Me?


Jimmy, I am in no way offended by your post, quite the opposite
The only thing that embarasses me is that if you visted by blog you may also have noticed how rarely I post there these days. It is my goal to do as G Dan Mitchell and post one image every day.

It is fine to use clipped whites and blacks when it serves the image of course. In the images in this thread, there are good examples of how it can be applied successfully. When I point out that it is not necessarily High Key according to some photography school definition, I hope to open the awareness into the wonderful world of tonality.

In the case of my latest blog entry, I carefully chose not to clip the whites (especially) or blacks because it would remove the sense of a continuum of tones and the image would lose its integrity. It is fine to disagree or do otherwise. I want to point out that minimalism does not mean laziness or sloppiness, and I spent a lot of time setting up for, exposing (10 minutes) and processing that image. It is of course also fine to disregard minimalism



Jun 12, 2013 at 08:46 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · High Key....Not For Me?


High key images are a thread, albeit a small one, in my work. Here is one example in which the idea was to evoke the effect that is sometimes seen when looking toward the sun when the fog layer is not deep:

"Cliffs, Surf, and Fog - California Coastline"
http://gdanmitchell.com/gallery/d/560-3/CliffsSurfFogBW20080112.jpg

I understand the points about what high key might be defined to be by some, and this image fits, I believe, the more restrictive notion. However, quite a few photographers accept a more expansive definition that does include images that may "overexpose" (either at the time of capture or by means of work in post) some elements of the scene.

Here's an image that, to some extent, goes with that second notion. It truly was overexposed at the time of capture (the darker tones were recovered in post) and it also uses intentional motion blur from a relatively long exposure:

"Five Birds, Marsh"
http://gdanmitchell.com/gallery/d/7180-3/FiveBirdsMarshFogBW20130121.jpg

Take care,

Dan



Jun 12, 2013 at 08:59 AM
jimmy462
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · High Key....Not For Me?


alundeb wrote:
Jimmy, I am in no way offended by your post, quite the opposite
The only thing that embarasses me is that if you visted by blog you may also have noticed how rarely I post there these days. It is my goal to do as G Dan Mitchell and post one image every day.

It is fine to use clipped whites and blacks when it serves the image of course. In the images in this thread, there are good examples of how it can be applied successfully. When I point out that it is not necessarily High Key according to
...Show more

Hi alundeb,

(wiping sweat) Phewww!

No need to be embarrassed at your posting rate, whatsoever, I can count on my hands and toes how many images I've posted to the internet (most here), so you're miles ahead of me! Lofty goal there, though, Dan has set the bar fairly high! (And I'm not talking volume!)

Thanks for posting some of your "behind-the-scenes" on that image! ...And for fleshing out some of your views on the matter!


JG

P.S. @ Dan...Wow!...again?...really?! Thanks for helping me to live vicariously, for the time being, while I get this house packed!



Jun 12, 2013 at 09:21 AM
ruhikant
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · High Key....Not For Me?


I thought this is HK.

http://ruhikant.smugmug.com/Birds/Manipur-Birds/i-G9B9sQn/0/X3/B37D0668aaTT-X3.jpg



Jun 12, 2013 at 09:30 AM
danb121
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · High Key....Not For Me?


justruss wrote:
I don't know if I'm just being pedantic, but most of these aren't classic examples of high-key images in the traditional sense of the word.

High key doesn't mean "big swaths of highlight at the edge of blown." It means, "reduced tones pushed over into the light side of exposure, reducing or eliminating shadows/dark tones."

High key lighting is related. It's when the key-light (or main light) is set, in conjunction with any other lighting, to "overexpose" the image, generally resulting in a high key image. High key lighting doesn't have to produce high key images-- unlike the latter it can
...Show more

alundeb wrote:
It is very likely that we will see many images in this thread that are not really high key, but rather overxposure, or high contrast, or properly exposed subject against white background.

I agree with the guy here about what constitutes high key:

http://lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/lightposeguide9.html


Are you both having a pop at me here... I take it that you are, the title states high key and the op doesn't say that high key lighting isn't allowed.

This is why I hate forums... every one is sooooo quick to have a pop at someone. Okay so the images that I posted aren't your ideas of high key; instead it's high key lighting... but isn't this my interpretation??



Jun 12, 2013 at 10:42 AM
alundeb
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · High Key....Not For Me?


Relax, I didn't even mention your images in particular, and I didn't say it was wrong posting any kind of images here.



Jun 12, 2013 at 10:53 AM
danb121
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · High Key....Not For Me?


alundeb wrote:
Relax, I didn't even mention your images in particular, and I didn't say it was wrong posting any kind of images here.


Okay... I'm sorry for the terse reply.
FYI the lighting in my images wasn't overblown either... to do so would have required a longer flash duration or a higher ISO, which would have created motion blur, noise and loss of detail in the splash.

Edited on Jun 12, 2013 at 01:44 PM · View previous versions



Jun 12, 2013 at 11:24 AM
Johnny B Goode
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · High Key....Not For Me?



IMG_7253 by Pete the Irish Guy, on Flickr


edit: so is this high key?



Jun 12, 2013 at 11:51 AM
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · High Key....Not For Me?


High key or not, that is a beautiful shot.


Jun 12, 2013 at 04:30 PM
StillFingerz
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · High Key....Not For Me?


Last year, mid winter, a loan sparrow in our backyard...not sure it's HK...your comments!
Saw this little flier and thought black and white, the scene was mostly grays from an overcast day.
Shot with a 40D and 300 f4 IS...




Winter Sparrow




Jun 12, 2013 at 09:46 PM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · High Key....Not For Me?


StillFingerz wrote:
Last year, mid winter, a loan sparrow in our backyard...not sure it's HK...your comments!


Definitely not HK, IMO.



Jun 12, 2013 at 11:36 PM
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