Low key Photography Tips

Low-key photography generally known as dark tone photographic, by definition is the overall picture is very dark tone control, overall low light photographic techniques. But the dark shadow down is not an end, a large object is achieved by a low dark tone more distinctive bright tone protruding part want to show something with a strong tonal contrast to the performance of the work content and atmosphere.

This reflects the photographic mean when they say "subtraction photography is" sentiment, subtraction means to extract the main screen you want performance, and the rest miscellaneous information through photographic techniques to get rid of, so more directly more clearly expressed the mood of the work, but will be more visual impact. So I want to make good low-key photography is not very simple, in addition to understanding some of the necessary theoretical knowledge, but also lots of pictures, experience and skills.

Low-key photograph should select a dark background, let the subject fully lined in black tone. Only in this way, a small area of the white in a large area of black background, the contours of the images of the main characters, full of character's facial features and other decoration, in the role of light will be separated from the background, the ethos of the characters in the pictures to be fully demonstrated.

In order to make the photo shoot with real life must be photo according to characteristics of the object to determine the tone of the low-key photograph. Such as coal miners, close-up, burning furnace workers, night lamp learning or working personnel and the elderly, available in a low profile to show. Only in this way can the screen characters of deep emotions, vigorous, depression, heavy, deep characterizations.

Low-key photograph by light, to a certain extent, determines the success and failure of low-key photograph. Because most low-key photo with large side light and backlight side, highlighted the performance and features of a portion of the body portion having a distinct personality characteristics, people see there is a distinct impression. Because of the large side light or negative side shoot, body chiseled, and background separately, showing the main stereo feeling and texture, but the side light and backlight application, increase the white body part and background contrast, exposure according to the main light exposure, even without a black cloth and the dark background (of course not with white background), sometimes also can achieve the ideal profile photo.

Understand the camera sensor or photosensitive properties of film. CCD (CMOS) exposure latitude and reversal film, than negative exposure latitude to narrow it. Also is to use digital camera, if the exposure is not accurate, can cause image record levels decrease, and even affect the color reproduction.

Control of exposure. If you use the camera area metering or average metering, should consider to decrease exposure, but it is hard to determine how much exposure reduction on numerical level. The author recommend the use of the camera's spot metering or local metering function (local metering common accounting for 10% of the view screen), to be the object light for metering. To obtain accurate exposure value. But must pay attention to the metering, must be close to the subject, metering range to lock in the light of your subject, otherwise, the exposure is likely to cause errors. If there is no camera spot meters or local metering function. That can only use area metering or average metering, on the basis of the photometric values, surround type exposure reduction, in order to ensure success. Although digital camera can shoot stood watching, but the site if is static, will miss the good chance.

Post-processing. Although the digital camera image for easy post-processing, but not from the nature of photography, not to be confused with the production of painting and computer graphics plane. Of course, the works make up the pre-shot process is carried out can be appropriately carried out. If you take out low-key photo expression is insufficient, Photoshop image processing software can be used to correct, if you adjust the contrast and reduce brightness, lighting effects filter (point effect), can help you achieve the desired purpose.