It is all about the light

In a previous post, I mentioned that I was dedicating the summer to producing high key images for my GeoGalleries SUMMER collection. Most of my previous work has been in low key photography.

High key photography presents a number of challenges. Here are two significant ones and ways to overcome them:

1. The Subject Appears Darker Than the Background. When composing an image, our eyes typically gravitate first to the brightest areas, then to the sharpest. In high key photography, the background is often the brightest part, drawing viewers’ attention away from the subject. To counter this, you can match the brightness value of the background to the sharpest portion of the image, where the attention is intended to go. This ensures the viewers’ eyes are drawn to the area of interest rather than wonder in the background. In the featured image, the the open disk florets are the brightest portion. Thanks to the swirling pattern of the unopened seeds towards the center, the circular arrangement of ray florets (petals), and the stem leading to the center of interest, the viewer’s focus is kept on the flower.
2. The Background Lacks Borders When Pure White. High key photographs often feature light grey backgrounds because achieving a pure white background is both technically challenging and aesthetically demanding. A completely white background, rare outside of product photography, can spill over and lack clear boundaries. For web presentations, it’s advisable to include a border to define the edges. For prints, using a mat slightly darker than the background can effectively create the necessary contrast and definition. (fellow blogger Steve Schwarzman has called my attention to this one a few times).

I hope these two tips are helpful. I am relatively new to high key. Let me know in the comments if you practice high key photography, the challenges you’ve faced, and how you’ve overcome them.

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Wall Art Botanical Images

Wall Art Photography projects

Wall Art landscapes and miscellaneous

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