Thematic Low Key photography

**Kerrowdown** · 05-11-2020, 01:08 AM

Originally posted by MKohoutek

Exactly! Beautiful capture!

Thank you very much.

**richard0170** · 05-22-2020, 02:35 AM - **4 Likes**

Wasp · 05-22-2020, 03:07 AM - **4 Likes**

Takumar 35mm f/2.3:

MKohoutek · 05-23-2020, 10:38 AM - **3 Likes**

A*200/4 macro on K1
Morning walk around the house on overcast day.

Attached Images

**richard0170** · 05-24-2020, 06:27 AM - **5 Likes**

Latest sequence of my still life obsession.....

Arjay Bee · 05-24-2020, 07:47 PM - **6 Likes**

k3+16-85

MKohoutek · 05-25-2020, 08:30 AM

Originally posted by richard0170

Latest sequence of my still life obsession.....

Latest sequence of my still life obsession.....

I really like these.

**Geodude** · 05-26-2020, 07:21 AM - **2 Likes**

I was playing around with a lomographic lens...

**richard0170** · 05-26-2020, 11:54 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by MKohoutek

I really like these.

Thank you. They are not that hard to do really. You just need some interesting artefacts, a tripod, two off camera flashes with home made snoots and diffusers, a wireless flash trigger, some plain black velvet. Set your camera to its flash sync speed, an aperture of f 8 or 11, and experiment with different flash outputs and positions

**pbancr** · 05-26-2020, 03:43 PM - **7 Likes**

X-posted in Daily in challenge

K-50 + M20/4

**Oktyabr** · 05-26-2020, 08:01 PM - **5 Likes**

Books, eh?

**richard0170** · 06-07-2020, 06:22 AM - **4 Likes**

Todays activity

Momento Mori

**Oktyabr** · 06-07-2020, 09:43 AM

Originally posted by richard0170

Todays activity

Momento Mori

Excellent! Could you say a bit more about the lighting and settings used?

---------- Post added 06-07-20 at 09:50 AM ----------

One from last year I almost forgot about.

OKTY1717
by oktyabr, on Flickr

**richard0170** · 06-07-2020, 10:34 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Oktyabr

Excellent! Could you say a bit more about the lighting and settings used?

Thank you. I could but that would mean I would have to kill you....

Only joking. I use two flashes. One with a home made snoot for the main light. One with a home made diffuser at about 1/4 the power of the main light, to soften shadows. I set the camera at f8 or 11, max flash sync speed,180th on my K3, on a tripod and use the self timer. I fiddle about with lighting power and positioning until I find what I like best. The important element though, which observers may not realise, is the use of background material. In this case I used crushed wine coloured velvet for the base and black plain velvet for behind the subject.

It actually is quite easy to achieve these effects. All you need is the material, 2 adjustable flashes (cheap manual ones are fine, you do not want to use TTL flash for this) and a wireless trigger, some home made lighting mods (I use old cereal boxes, kitchen roll, silver duct tape) that just slide over the flash heads, and plenty of interesting subjects and/or artefacts pleasingly arranged. And finally a bit of time to experiment!

**Oktyabr** · 06-07-2020, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by richard0170

Thank you. I could but that would mean I would have to kill you....

Only joking. I use two flashes. One with a home made snoot for the main light. One with a home made diffuser at about 1/4 the power of the main light, to soften shadows. I set the camera at f8 or 11, max flash sync speed,180th on my K3, on a tripod and use the self timer. I fiddle about with lighting power and positioning until I find what I like best. The important element though, which observers may not realise, is the use of background material. In this case I used crushed wine coloured velvet for the base and black plain velvet for behind the subject.

It actually is quite easy to achieve these effects. All you need is the material, 2 adjustable flashes (cheap manual ones are fine, you do not want to use TTL flash for this) and a wireless trigger, some home made lighting mods (I use old cereal boxes, kitchen roll, silver duct tape) that just slide over the flash heads, and plenty of interesting subjects and/or artefacts pleasingly arranged. And finally a bit of time to experiment!

You accomplished excellent exposure on the skull too but the thing that really caught my eye was the candle flame! Very cool.

05-23-2020, 10:38 AM - 3 Likes	#94
MKohoutek Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 244	Morning Shower And Geraniums A*200/4 macro on K1 Morning walk around the house on overcast day. Attached Images

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Landscape Low-key lakes	fromunderthebridge	Photo Critique	5	01-16-2015 04:26 AM
People Low Key Portrait First Attempt - Need Guidance	Inexorable	Photo Critique	15	12-23-2014 06:51 AM
Light for low key nude photography	Hattifnatt	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	12	11-16-2014 06:28 AM
People Low Key Photography - First Attempt	Inexorable	Photo Critique	6	06-30-2014 05:45 PM
First attempts at high-key and low-key: question about histograms	Guizo	Photographic Technique	7	04-28-2014 08:00 PM

05-11-2020, 01:08 AM	#91
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,863	Originally posted by MKohoutek Exactly! Beautiful capture! Thank you very much.

05-22-2020, 02:35 AM - 4 Likes	#92
richard0170 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2017 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,034

05-22-2020, 03:07 AM - 4 Likes	#93
Wasp Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Pretoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,661	Takumar 35mm f/2.3:

05-24-2020, 06:27 AM - 5 Likes	#95
richard0170 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2017 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,034	Latest sequence of my still life obsession..... Latest sequence of my still life obsession.....

05-24-2020, 07:47 PM - 6 Likes	#96
Arjay Bee Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Horn Island, Torres Straits, Q Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,715	k3+16-85

05-25-2020, 08:30 AM	#97
MKohoutek Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 244	Originally posted by richard0170 Latest sequence of my still life obsession..... Latest sequence of my still life obsession..... I really like these.

05-26-2020, 11:54 AM - 1 Like	#99
richard0170 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2017 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,034	Originally posted by MKohoutek I really like these. Thank you. They are not that hard to do really. You just need some interesting artefacts, a tripod, two off camera flashes with home made snoots and diffusers, a wireless flash trigger, some plain black velvet. Set your camera to its flash sync speed, an aperture of f 8 or 11, and experiment with different flash outputs and positions

05-26-2020, 03:43 PM - 7 Likes	#100
pbancr Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southeast Connecticut Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,582	X-posted in Daily in challenge K-50 + M20/4

06-07-2020, 06:22 AM - 4 Likes	#102
richard0170 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2017 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,034	Todays activity Momento Mori

06-07-2020, 09:43 AM	#103
Oktyabr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 389 Original Poster	Originally posted by richard0170 Todays activity Momento Mori Excellent! Could you say a bit more about the lighting and settings used? ---------- Post added 06-07-20 at 09:50 AM ---------- One from last year I almost forgot about. OKTY1717 by oktyabr, on Flickr

06-07-2020, 10:34 AM - 2 Likes	#104
richard0170 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2017 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,034	Originally posted by Oktyabr Excellent! Could you say a bit more about the lighting and settings used? Thank you. I could but that would mean I would have to kill you.... Only joking. I use two flashes. One with a home made snoot for the main light. One with a home made diffuser at about 1/4 the power of the main light, to soften shadows. I set the camera at f8 or 11, max flash sync speed,180th on my K3, on a tripod and use the self timer. I fiddle about with lighting power and positioning until I find what I like best. The important element though, which observers may not realise, is the use of background material. In this case I used crushed wine coloured velvet for the base and black plain velvet for behind the subject. It actually is quite easy to achieve these effects. All you need is the material, 2 adjustable flashes (cheap manual ones are fine, you do not want to use TTL flash for this) and a wireless trigger, some home made lighting mods (I use old cereal boxes, kitchen roll, silver duct tape) that just slide over the flash heads, and plenty of interesting subjects and/or artefacts pleasingly arranged. And finally a bit of time to experiment!

06-07-2020, 10:46 AM	#105
Oktyabr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 389 Original Poster	Originally posted by richard0170 Thank you. I could but that would mean I would have to kill you.... Only joking. I use two flashes. One with a home made snoot for the main light. One with a home made diffuser at about 1/4 the power of the main light, to soften shadows. I set the camera at f8 or 11, max flash sync speed,180th on my K3, on a tripod and use the self timer. I fiddle about with lighting power and positioning until I find what I like best. The important element though, which observers may not realise, is the use of background material. In this case I used crushed wine coloured velvet for the base and black plain velvet for behind the subject. It actually is quite easy to achieve these effects. All you need is the material, 2 adjustable flashes (cheap manual ones are fine, you do not want to use TTL flash for this) and a wireless trigger, some home made lighting mods (I use old cereal boxes, kitchen roll, silver duct tape) that just slide over the flash heads, and plenty of interesting subjects and/or artefacts pleasingly arranged. And finally a bit of time to experiment! You accomplished excellent exposure on the skull too but the thing that really caught my eye was the candle flame! Very cool.