High Key and White Backgrounds

[AliB]

From my own reading there is an often held thought that high key and the use of a white background are one and the same thing. But they are not.

High key and low key are, in fact, the result of the tones in a photo. High Key photos are composed of tones that are all lighter in tone than a 18% grey. (Mid grey) Low Key photos are composed of tones that are darker than that same 18% grey. Hence High Key is light and low key is dark.

The use of a white background has become synonymous with high key photography but they are really quite different. The white background can add the white required for true high key but the presence of a white background alone does not make a high key image.

An example of high key.

http://alexwilsonphoto.com/blog/2006/03/14/high-key-tutorial/


The misuse of the terminology is not exactly helped by the likes of Lastolite selling products aimed at high key photography when, in truth, they only provide the white background. Hence the rather easy to misuse term.

For those who want a white background this is the best explanation I have seen thus far.

http://www.zarias.com/?cat=13

For good quality low key photography I really like these. *warning link contains artistic nudes*

http://www.fineartnude.com/webring/

I hope that helps in the understanding of the terms high key and low key.

 

[pxl8]

I suspect that high key is destined to be forever associated with white backgrounds simply through popular use and no amount of "education" will stem the tide.

 

[DiddyDave]

I suspect that high key is destined to be forever associated with white backgrounds simply through popular use and no amount of "education" will stem the tide.

Same 'problem' Pete has with his tone-mapped images now being called HDR

It's here to stay now

DD

 

[Garry Edwards]

I think that the misuse of the term 'high key' started with Venture portraits, as you say, Lastolite have added to the confusion.

In a sense, it doesn't really matter if people use the wrong terminology - but it makes it difficult to answer forum questions such as 'How do I get high key photos?' when we have to find out whether they really mean high key or whether they really just want a white background.

I think it's good that white backgrounds seem to be going out of fashion a bit now. Plain white and plain black backgrounds have their place, but they compress distance and make the shot look 2-dimensional.