I'm wanting to do some high-key shots, similar to some of these http://www.imageexpress.co.uk/gallery.php?pg=1&cat=2586

Is this just editing, or is there a way of lighting the subject to improve the final look?

I'm using tungsten lights at the mo, which melt people if used too close :cry:

cheers

I'm wanting to do some high-key shots, similar to some of these http://www.imageexpress.co.uk/gallery.php?pg=1&cat=2586

Is this just editing, or is there a way of lighting the subject to improve the final look?

I'm using tungsten lights at the mo, which melt people if used too close :cry:

cheers

The images on your link are mainly the result of very careful balance between subject light and background light - the background being just a fraction brighter so it blows out pure white - but only just. It's a very tricky balance and you really need variable flash. You can do it with tungsten by moving the lights back and forth to control intensity, or maybe use different wattage bulbs, but it will be hard. Use a lens hood to prevent flare as much as possible. One of the adjustable bellows type from the Lee range would be best.

On the other hand, you can do a lot with Photoshop and that has certainly been used to get some of the bleached-out face effects. If you're handy with post processing, that might be your best route to clean up the background, too. Very hard to do 'straight' without pro-studio kit.

Richard.

Technically there not high key, but to achieve the pue white background effect I fire about 1 stop of light more on the background, this is using flash though...As Richard says quite possible with PS but unless your bloody good it can quite easily look PS'd :) I use simple (Nikon SB800's) to achieve the blown background, but you could quite easily do this with cheap manual flashes, therefore quite cheaply.

Some of mine using this method.

http://dbphotographic.smugmug.com/photos/16595394-L.jpg

http://dbphotographic.smugmug.com/photos/60364324-L.jpg

http://dbphotographic.smugmug.com/photos/19675251-L.jpg

http://dbphotographic.smugmug.com/photos/20366442-L.jpg

These are the setups I use :

Highkey 1 (http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/4149/highkey1mw8.jpg)
Highkey 2 (http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/2830/highkey2sk8.jpg)

And some examples :

Liz 1 (http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/7681/liz1ne7.jpg)
Liz 2 (http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/483/liz2oc9.jpg)

These are untouched, it's best to get as best you can from the original shot because I think post processing can never quite equal it.

Kiwi, with respect mate, you have over-lit the background and lens flare is killing image contrast.

Background should be half to one stop brighter than the front max. And you need a really good lens hood to shade the lens from everything outside the image area.

If not one of the Lee bellows type hoods, then cut a hole in a piece of black card and tape it to the OEM hood. All zoom lens hoods are, by definition, only maximum effective at the widest focal length setting. And if you're shooting on a crop-sensor camera with a full-frame lens, you should fit an even longer hood than the OEM jobbie.

Cannot emphasise enough how important an optimum lens hood is when you have so much bright light coming straight at you.

Richard ;)

PS Edited to add, this is what a good lens hood looks like:
http://www.leefilters.com/CPTSHO.asp?PageID=391
Pull it out so that it is just visible in the corner of the image, at minimum focus distance and smallest lens aperture. Then back it off just 1mm or so.

I always meter the light at F11 on the rear of the backdrop/cove and F8 on the subject, then shoot either F8 or F9 at 125th, iso 100.

works for me:D


Paul:)