EX32 High Key

weekly exercises

11 Aug

Last week I ended up spending a bit of time helping people intentionally over expose their photographs to create high key images. Many stunning images resulted.

High Key photographs are predominantly white or light tones. Blacks and dark tones are avoided. A photograph that is predominantly white with some very strong blacks in it is generally referred to as a tonal drop out.

Obviously you can do whatever you like.

You can use your exposure compensation to create them, though I do find using manual easier, because once I get the exposure I can keep using it over and over.

You can create high key images in your post processing by playing with the exposure slider or the tone curve. Personally, I prefer to play with them as I am making them. This is because I can see them as I am working and adjust the look at the time of creation. It helps me when I set my intention and stick to it.

There is no real reason why you would choose one over the other when it comes to quality.

So this weeks exercise is to intentionally overexpose some of your work to create high key images.

Lets’ see what we can do with white.