interesttotheirportraiture,otherwiseriskingitbecoming
repetitive and unexciting.
Low-Key Lighting
Low-keylightingisamoreconsideredandcalculatedway
oflightingthesubject.Unlikehigh-keylighting,wherethe
photographer floods thestudio area with light, low-key
portraitureusesthelightinaveryspecific andrestricted
way, to shape and define the subject’s features.
Low-keylightingcanbeachievedwithaslittleasonekey
light,andmanyclassicexamplesofportraitureareknown
tohavebeenshotthisway,althoughusingreflectorsand
extrafilllightsbalancedcorrectlyincorrelationwith the
key light will enhance these
imagesandgiveagreatersenseofdepthanddrama.More
commonlyshotontoadarkerbackgroundagaintoaddto
theeffect,low-keyportraiturereallydrawstheviewerinto
theimagebyallowingtheeyestobeguidedtothelightest
part of the image.