Mark, can you explain more exactly what high key is? When I've seen posts that are high key, and people usually say they are beautiful as a high key image, it looks to me as if a high key filter was used in postprocessing. Do people get all-white backgrounds by choice in the actual photography? Thanks.
Posted by Dennis Plank on July 28, 2017 at 6:27 PM
Hi Barbara: I can answer part of this. You can do it in post processing, but yes, people do deliberately shoot this way. There's a Nature show on PBS currently running called the Photo Ark and the photographer deliberately shoots his images against either a pure white or pure black bg. There's also a website and group that deliberately takes nature subjects against a pure white bg called meet your neighbours
Their philosophy is that the environment is just a distraction and that the image should be all about the subject. It doesn't happen to be a philosophy I find all that appealing, but I have done some floral images that way. In Avian, if you're shooting against a bright overcast sky and exposing properly for the bird, you're going to get it whether you want it or not.
Posted by Mark Seaver on July 29, 2017 at 11:51 AM
Barbara,
I see "high key" as any image that is mostly very bright, but not necessarily a pure white background. I think Cay-Uwe's description of "...the main subject is not a silhouette." is also important.
Posted by Jim Zablotny on July 29, 2017 at 2:12 PM
Excellent--I'll have fun with this challenge..........................Jim
Discussion
6 repliesmeet your neighbours
Their philosophy is that the environment is just a distraction and that the image should be all about the subject. It doesn't happen to be a philosophy I find all that appealing, but I have done some floral images that way. In Avian, if you're shooting against a bright overcast sky and exposing properly for the bird, you're going to get it whether you want it or not.
Sandy
I see "high key" as any image that is mostly very bright, but not necessarily a pure white background. I think Cay-Uwe's description of "...the main subject is not a silhouette." is also important.