Portrait, in high-key and non high-key

**_Belial** · 24th December 2006

Here's a pic i took today of my son Callum. Now the 1st one is the regular pic, then the 2nd i've applied a high-key effect on, just wanted to get an idea on which people generally prefered?

The natural version

or

The High key version

**Mr Olympia** · 24th December 2006

I do like high-key shots but only in certain circumstances, taking the environment, subject etc. into consideration.

I prefer the natural shot in this case. I personally don't think the photo needs any post precessing on the subject (Callum) at all. Keep this one as natural as possible.

Really nice photo m8 and just my 2 penneth.

**_Belial** · 24th December 2006

Thanks very much for your feedback Mr O. I guess i'm just getting obsessed with high-key on portraits recently, but I guess id' much rather know what other people think of it than just go with my personal preference. My wife did say she preferred the natural one, but wife's, what do they know!?

Thanks again

**slartibartfast** · 24th December 2006

Definitely the first one. The second goes too far into the realms of the unnatural for me, especially the hair.

If it was me I probably would have gone for something in between. Some fill flash or a reflector would have been good as well, to lighten up the shadows on the face. You can lighten them a bit in photoshop, but it's not as good.

**_Belial** · 27th December 2006

Thanks for the advice slarti, I do intend to get myself a reflector actually, my parent's want me to take a family portrait for my gran soon so i'm sure it'll come in handy for that too.

**_Belial** · 3rd January 2007

Thanks for all the votes everyone, from the looks of it (damn you slarti, you're always right

) i need to stop going ott with the high key effects

Very much appreciated.

**aceg3905** · 3rd January 2007

natural for me and a damm nice picture to boot

**headsortails** · 3rd January 2007

I prefer the natural but also like Slarti's 'medium' shot.

So what exactly is high-key and what does it do? I obviously see the results but what is going on to make it so?

**headsortails** · 4th January 2007

Originally Posted by headsortails

I prefer the natural but also like Slarti's 'medium' shot.

So what exactly is high-key and what does it do? I obviously see the results but what is going on to make it so?

I found this in a photography glossary:

High key subjects concentrate on the lighter tones, using subject matter that is white or pale tones, and using flat overall lighting to avoid shadows.
High key is often used to portray a delicate or feminine intention. Most high key pictures contain small areas of dark tones - for example in the iris of the eyes in a portrait; without a small dark or black area high key effects can appear too washed out or insipid.

**_Belial** · 4th January 2007

Yeah that pretty much sums it up, here's a good tutorial on how to achive the effect in photoshop

http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques....cfm?recid=361