In the exposure course you learned how to expose for a bright high-key look or a dark low-key look. But exposure is only half of it. A truly high-key or low-key photo starts with the light: how bright the scene is, how much contrast there is between light and shadow, and how bright the background is. This lesson shows you how to control contrast with natural light, and how to set up scenes for high-key and low-key moods.
What is lighting contrast?
Lighting contrast is the difference in brightness between the lit parts of a subject and its shadows, and between the subject and its background. High contrast means bright highlights and deep shadows; low contrast means everything is close in brightness.
This is different from tonal key. A high-key photo is mostly light tones and a low-key photo is mostly dark tones, as you learned in high-key and low-key exposure. High-key photos are usually low in contrast. Low-key photos usually combine dark tones with strong contrast on the lit parts.
Remember:In studio lighting, contrast is measured precisely as a lighting ratio, which you will meet in lighting ratios, contrast and consistency. With natural light, you control it more by eye.
Tools for controlling contrast
| Tool | Lower contrast (brighter shadows) | Higher contrast (deeper shadows) |
|---|---|---|
| Light quality | Soft light (shade, overcast, diffuser) | Hard light (direct sun, small window) |
| Fill | White reflector or pale walls | No fill |
| Negative fill | Not used | Black card or dark cloth on the shadow side |
| Room or surroundings | Bright, white room | Dark room or dark surroundings |
| Background | Light, brightly lit background | Dark, unlit background |
| Light direction | Front light | Side light |
You learned each of these tools in earlier lessons: quality in hard and soft light, direction in light direction, and fill and diffusion in reflectors and diffusers. This lesson shows how they combine.
Building a high-key look with natural light
- Choose light surroundings: a white or pale room, white background, light clothing.
- Use soft, plentiful light: a large window, open shade or overcast sky.
- Fill the shadows: white reflectors or white walls on the shadow side.
- Light the background brightly so it is at least as bright as the subject; placing the subject near a bright window or in front of a sunlit wall helps.
- Expose brightly, as explained in high-key exposure, keeping detail in skin.
Building a low-key look with natural light
- Choose dark surroundings: a dark room, dark background, dark clothing.
- Use a single, directional light: a small window, a partly closed curtain, or a beam of light.
- Light only part of the subject, often from the side, so much of it falls into shadow.
- Add negative fill with black cloth on the shadow side to keep shadows deep.
- Keep the background unlit: place the subject close to the window and far from the background, so the background falls dark; you learned why in the inverse square law.
Painters such as Rembrandt and Caravaggio used similar strong, single-source light to create drama, which is why low-key lighting is sometimes called painterly. You will learn the studio versions of these looks in lighting portraits and people.
Choosing contrast for the mood
| Contrast level | Feeling | Common uses |
|---|---|---|
| Low contrast, high key | Light, clean, gentle, optimistic | Babies, beauty, weddings, products |
| Medium contrast | Natural, balanced | Most portraits, everyday photos |
| High contrast, low key | Dramatic, mysterious, serious, intimate | Character portraits, still life, fine art |
Common mistakes
- Trying high key in a dark room: it is hard to brighten shadows and background enough.
- Trying low key with light spilling everywhere: close curtains and keep the background dark.
- Calling a gray, flat photo high key: high key needs bright tones and careful exposure.
- No light on the eyes in low key: the face should still have a clear lit area.
How professionals control contrast
Professionals decide the mood first, then choose the location and tools to match: a bright white room and reflectors for high key, a dark corner, one window and black cloth for low key. They adjust contrast in small steps, moving a reflector closer or further, opening or closing a curtain, until the shadows look right. Exposure then finishes what the light started.
Practical examples
A newborn in white
- Situation
- A family wants light, airy newborn photos at home.
- What to do
- You use a white blanket near a large window, add a white reflector opposite, and keep the background bright.
- Why it works
- Soft light, strong fill and bright surroundings keep contrast low and tones light.
- Result
- A gentle, bright high-key image with soft shadows.
A portrait of a craftsman
- Situation
- You want a dramatic portrait of an old craftsman.
- What to do
- You seat him near a small window in a dark workshop, side-lit, with a dark cloth on his shadow side.
- Why it works
- A single directional source, negative fill and an unlit background create deep shadows.
- Result
- A dramatic low-key portrait with a sculpted, textured face.
Key points
- Lighting contrast is the brightness difference between lit areas, shadows and background.
- High key: light surroundings, soft light, strong fill, bright background.
- Low key: dark surroundings, one directional light, negative fill, dark background.
- Control contrast with light quality, fill, negative fill, surroundings, background and direction.
- Decide the mood first, then adjust light, then expose.
Frequently asked questions
What is high-key lighting?
What is low-key lighting?
How do I reduce contrast in natural light?
How do I make my background darker with window light?
Conclusion
Contrast is controlled by light quality, direction, fill, negative fill, surroundings and background distance. Build high-key looks with soft, plentiful, filled light and bright backgrounds, and low-key looks with a single directional light, negative fill and dark backgrounds. Next, you will learn a step-by-step method to read light before you take a photograph.
Finished reading? Track your progress through Natural light.