This photography technique can be used to produce a chiaroscuro style. Low key usually refers to dark tones that make the image more dramatic. The key is selective lighting, there are certain parts that are illuminated. You can be creative and arrange shadows and the position of objects in such a way that the shadow falls in the right place as desired.
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This low key technique can be used in several types of photography such as portraits, food photography or street photography. For light sources, you can use natural light or artificial light, depending on the concept of the photo and the conditions when you take the photo. The difference is that with natural light you cannot control the light that comes in, but with artificial light you have complete control over the light.
If you use natural light, you can take photos at night where the conditions are quite dark. With the help of moonlight or the right lights, you can produce neat low key photos. Lots of creativity and dare to try to get unique results. You can try these methods to take advantage of natural light:
- Look for a background that is two levels brighter than the object. For example, an object is illuminated by street lights and the background is dark and is not exposed to light.
- If you have difficulty finding a background like the one above, you can use black cardboard or cloth.
