I have criticised a photo lately (politely) for claiming a photo to be high key when I thought it wasn't:
However, I am at a loss to actually define accurately what high key is, so I was wondering if people could post what they feel are High Key images so that we can all learn a little more.
@debilz - I have used your image as a starting point because that is what sparked the debate - even though I don't think it is high key, I still think it is an amazing photo.
Here is a link that is definitely high key, but does high key have to be white on white:
I think most people see high key and think "bright subject shot against a white background" in the same way that people see low key and think "dark subject shot against a black background." I'm not sure that there is really a technical definition or more of a "I'll know it when I see it," in which case both shots could be considered high key.
This definition appeared on this site last year sometime as part of a challenge: High-key is scene with delicate tones or pastel colours. A photograph which contains large areas of light tones, with few middle tones or shadows. High-key is achieved using lighting but here exposure is completely acceptable.
High Key does not have to be pastel . The key to high key is the light: light backgrounds and no shadows. By convention there is usually a single item or image. I actually think the first example here is a fine example of High key photography.
Its an interesting debate and one where there is no clear correct answer. A typical definition of high-key photography is a photograph which uses bright lighting to blow out most or all harsh shadows in an image. How effective it is comes down to a fine balance of composition and contrast. If you were to look at a historgram of a high key shot, it would look something like this:
The examples you have given above, in my opinion, both qualify as high-key. High-key can be colour, b&w, sepia, selective colour... almost every style can be shot as high-key.
If you have a look at the latest technique challenge - high key which I am hosting, you will see there are varying takes on the high-key theme.
@debilz It seems then Debbie that you were right to label your photo as high key - my bad. That is why I love this community - we are all safe to learn without any rudeness, condescension, sarcasm or other generally unhelpful behaviour that we see on other forums. Thank you all.
There is another term, on-white, that is often used interchangeably with high-key. Product photography is often on-white, but it is not always true high-key. A lack of shadows is the what makes an image true high-key.
High key. (Photography) (of a photograph, painting, etc) having a predominance of light grey tones or light colours.
Strictly speaking if a photograph has the majority of tones with values greater than R,G,B 128, 128, 128 then it is high key. High key does not have to mean overexposed although that is one branch of it.
In the picture at the start of this article, Photoshop tells me that the average R,G,B values are 244, 232, 187 which indeed makes it High key.
Another way to look at it is that anything that has a one stop difference or less in light is considered high key. A two stop difference to three stop difference is considered normal key. And a four stop difference to five stop difference is considered low key. The difference being between main light, key light, and backlight. The first image I would consider a high key. You can break the rules and light naturally dark subjects as high key just as you can light naturally bright subjects as a low key.
@joeymc@danielwsc@steampowered@chantilly Thanks again everyone for your contribution - I have learnt so much, and like said, there are not many forums where discussion can be had in such a supportive manner. That is why I love this community.
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Its an interesting debate and one where there is no clear correct answer. A typical definition of high-key photography is a photograph which uses bright lighting to blow out most or all harsh shadows in an image. How effective it is comes down to a fine balance of composition and contrast. If you were to look at a historgram of a high key shot, it would look something like this:
The examples you have given above, in my opinion, both qualify as high-key. High-key can be colour, b&w, sepia, selective colour... almost every style can be shot as high-key.
If you have a look at the latest technique challenge - high key which I am hosting, you will see there are varying takes on the high-key theme.
http://365project.org/tags/technique19
Strictly speaking if a photograph has the majority of tones with values greater than R,G,B 128, 128, 128 then it is high key. High key does not have to mean overexposed although that is one branch of it.
In the picture at the start of this article, Photoshop tells me that the average R,G,B values are 244, 232, 187 which indeed makes it High key.