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How to Do Low-Key Photography

Low-key photography is all about limiting the amount of light you use in your photographs and creating dark and moody pictures. These pictures make use of shadow to evoke tension. However, creating low-key photographs is not a simple as turning down the light; you have to have your camera on the right setting to ensure that it is able to capture the subject. Low-key photography is just one of many techniques you need to master if you're serious about photography.

Things You'll Need

Lighting
Reflector

Instructions

- 1
  Adjust the lights in the room. The dominant color in low-key photography is usually black, so you want to have lots of darkness in your photo.
- 2
  Arrange your subject so that it appears clearly in the light. Consider which part of your subject you wish to emphasize. You need to arrange the lighting so that it shines on one particular part of the subject. Experiment with different angles and different intensities of light.
- 3
  Change your camera to a black-and-white setting. Low-key photography looks best when it's done in black-and-white. This reduces the colors displayed in the picture and emphasizes the contrast between light and dark. You should also set your camera to the appropriate setting for the subject. For example, set it to "Portrait" for pictures of people.
- 4
  Turn off your camera's flash -- or if it's detachable, set it up from a different angle. If the flash comes from the same angle as the picture, it will be flooded with light, ruining the low-key effect.
- 5
  Position a reflector (a large surface that reflects light) behind your subject, directly across from your light source. This is not necessary, but it helps provide more light without ruining the low-key lighting effect.

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