CRASH COURSE
AIM HIGH OR GO LOW?
ESSENTIAL PHOTO SKILLS MADE EASY
James Paterson shows you how to shoot high-key and low-key portraits of children with the help of some simple lighting techniques
1 HOUR High-key and low-key are two distinct and very different photographic lighting styles. A high-key photo is one dominated by light tones, usually with a very bright backdrop; in contrast, a low-key photo has darker tones, often with just a few highlights. With studio portraiture, we can get the high-key or low-key look by controlling the light on the background. Believe it or not, both these photos were taken in the same spot, using the same roll of white vinyl in the background. By controlling the light and choosing the right exposure settings, we can determine whether the backdrop is bright or dark.