High key lighting is used in both still photography and cinematography. It is a technique in which the overall lighting in the scene is fairly bright. There are no deep shadows and even the mid-tones of the scene are kept fairly light. The emotional effect of the high-key image on the viewer is to convey positive emotions, such as happiness.
High Key Lighting Definition
In a properly exposed continuous-tone photograph, the range of tones will run from bright highlights to middle tones to dark shadows. The highlights should not be so bright that they lose detail, and the shadows should not be so dark that they plug up and lose detail, either. A high key image is one in which the photographer exposes the image so that what would normally be a middle tone is now much brighter than normal. Any white or light spots in the photograph become almost all white. A high key image does not have dark tones; the entire image is either in the high- or mid-range tones.
Studio Lighting Set Up
Setting up studio lighting to produce a high key image involves using more than one light source to illuminate the subject. Usually there are two or three lights aimed at the subject and at least two lights to illuminate the background.
The key light is the photographer's main lighting source and is used to light the subject or model. A fill light is also used, placed on the opposite side of the subject from the key light. Its purpose is to remove shadows from the subject or the model's face. A third light may be used on the model and is called a hair light. Its purpose is to produce highlights on the hair in a portrait shot.
The key light and fill light are set up so that they are in front of the model and placed far enough away so that they do not produce hot spots. Often, a diffuser is used to reduce the intensity of the light and soften it. The lights are set out to the side of the model so that they are aimed at roughly a 45-degree angle to the subject. For portraits, this produces soft illumination to all parts of a model's face.
Two or more lights are used to illuminate the background so that it will be brighter than the subject. In a high key image, the background will be brighter than the subject and will turn white. It is also possible to take high-contrast photographs with only one light source by using mirrors or reflectors to make the single light source do double duty.
Background Choices
Often, white sheets of background paper are used to produce a totally white background in the finished photograph. Vinyl backgrounds are also available for photographers, and although they are more expensive than paper, they are washable and won't tear. Another choice for backgrounds is a light-colored canvas, which can provide some texture to the background. The trick for texture is to light the background enough so that it is brighter (and less visible) than the subject, but not so much that it becomes totally washed out. Placing the background lights off to the side of the studio and aiming them at an angle will help bring out subtle textures in the canvas.
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