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Category: Studio, Still, & Personal Portraiture Photography

Photography Question 

Tareq M. Alhamrani 		 

High-Key Portrait: How to Do It?


Hi all,

How can I do high-key portraits? Any tips or ways to do that professionally?


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February 26, 2008

 

W. 		  Hi Tareq,
Get a lot of light, a subject in very light colours, a white background, and nearly overexpose. Tada! You've got high-key portraits!
Have fun!


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February 26, 2008

 

Tareq M. Alhamrani 		  Hi W.Smith,

Is that all? hehehehe, I don't think it is only this way, but ok, thank you very much, I have to get more lights then.


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February 26, 2008

 

Vik Orenstein 		  hi, tareq1 people use the words "high-key" to mean a lot of different looks, from brightly colored clothes and drop, to over exposed or hazy stylistic looks. when I say high key, i'm referring to a background that is true white -- no matter what the subject is wearing. I prefer a lighting style that renders the subject with sharp, crisp edges --no spill light or wrap around light, so that the subject really POPS out of the frame. to achieve this look, you need to have enough space (at least 5 to 6 feet) between the subject and backdrop to allow you to light each separately without any light falling onto the subject from the backlight.

you also need to light the backdrop one stop brighter than your subject to make it true white in your images. you will expose for your subject reading. so for instance, if your subject meters at f8, you'll want your white background to meter at f11 to f16, and you'll set your camera at f8.

we go in detail into this and other lighting techniques in my course, "studio portrait lighting."

i hope this helps!


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March 04, 2008

 

Vik Orenstein 		 
 
  high-key backdrop
high-key backdrop

Vik Orenstein

  
 
hi, tareq1 people use the words "high-key" to mean a lot of different looks, from brightly colored clothes and drop, to over exposed or hazy stylistic looks. when I say high key, i'm referring to a background that is true white -- no matter what the subject is wearing. I prefer a lighting style that renders the subject with sharp, crisp edges --no spill light or wrap around light, so that the subject really POPS out of the frame. to achieve this look, you need to have enough space (at least 5 to 6 feet) between the subject and backdrop to allow you to light each separately without any light falling onto the subject from the backlight.

you also need to light the backdrop one stop brighter than your subject to make it true white in your images. you will expose for your subject reading. so for instance, if your subject meters at f8, you'll want your white background to meter at f11 to f16, and you'll set your camera at f8.

we go in detail into this and other lighting techniques in my course, "studio portrait lighting."

i hope this helps!


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March 04, 2008

 
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