Project 52 - Week 50: Low Key

I had fun experimenting with light for this week's theme.  While I have done a number of high key photographs, I'm not a big user of low key imagery, so I used this opportunity to play around with light quite a bit over the weekend.

My first image is of a friend's black lab.  I used a solid black background in a darkened room with one off camera speed light set to low power.  That's easy to say after the 12 attempts are over.  I tried a number of different diffusers and different power settings, thankfully read up on using the model light in my camera, and finally ended up using my beauty dish set just above and off the right ear of my subject, pointing downward.  Max was very patient, and he is one of the dogs I am photographing for an older dog project, so we know each other a bit and he trusts me.  I did convert this image to black and white in post processing, as I thought it worked better without a really pink tongue.

I then decided I had not had enough fun, and wanted to try to photograph a very light colored cat, hoping that the mistakes I made with my lighting set up in round one, would be resolved more quickly.  What I did not count on were the very basic facts:  (1) cats want to explore dark rooms, (2) cats are very suspicious of lights that flash on in dark rooms, and (3) a cat's eyes will process this flashing light in a different manner than a dog's eyes will process it.  I ended up having to use my off camera speed light on the opposite side.  I also used a toy motivator (feather on a stick) to have the cat turn a bit away from the light source.  I am still not totally happy with the eyes, but I have to live with this image because (4) cats aren't as patient as dogs about lighting mistakes.  I also could not decide whether to convert the image to black and white or leave it as is, so I've given you a sample of both below.

 I really enjoyed experimenting this week.  The theme had me totally outside my comfort zone, but I now feel better equipped to handle future low key images, should I choose to go that route. There are really wonderful effects to be had with low key images, so I am eager to practice this method a bit more.

More "low key" fun is in the blog loop.  Start with Kathie Ono, Ono Pet Photography of Fairhope, Alabama and work your way through the links until you are back here again.