{"id":5229,"date":"2016-04-29T21:57:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-29T20:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gavtrain.com\/?p=5229"},"modified":"2016-04-29T21:57:00","modified_gmt":"2016-04-29T20:57:00","slug":"low-key-lighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gavtrain.com\/?p=5229","title":{"rendered":"Low Key Lighting"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have a small or portable studio set up then low key portraits should be high on your list of “must have” lighting skills. Why? Apart from looking amazing, great low key lighting can be achieved with simple equipment against any dark background.<\/p>\n

[youtube]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ba1Hiq3w3kc&feature=youtu.be[\/youtube]<\/p>\n

As the video above demonstrates, black backgrounds are the obvious choice for low key shots but grey backgrounds work too. So what makes a shot low key?<\/p>\n

An underexposed image is not the same as a low key image. Whilst a true low key shot will have the majority of it’s tones on the dark side it will also have a few areas of highlights too. Contrast is key and that needs lighting but how you get there is all part of the creative process.<\/p>\n