(High key) photo: Hein Pragt (2008)

(Low key) photo: Hein Pragt (2008)

(C) 2008 Hein Pragt The shapes of the human body are also perfect for high key and low key photography. Since I like to play and experiment with light I try to create these kinds of pictures, not always so successful because it is not that simple to do. As you cannot use the automatic settings of your camera, you must adjust the camera manually and calculate the settings yourself. To check the settings you can make some test photo's and examine the histogram. The effect can also be generated by Photoshop but I think its more natural and a real challenge to obtain the effect with traditional photographic techniques. But what is high key and low key? These terms are used to describe a photo with a strongly dominant white or black colour. High key photographs contain mainly white and light colours, while low key photographs contain mainly black and dark colours. High key photograph are often more cheerful and pleasant, low key photographs are generally more mysterious and dramatic. The lighting for low key photographs must be organised very consciously, use dark clothing, a dark background and one small source of light to illuminate only a part of the subject. Adjust the settings of the camera to a little underexposure, a low F value and play with the shutter time. Since the shutter time can become rather long is recommend to use a tripod and you must pay attention that you adjust the focus carefully. The lighting technique for high key photographs are much, full and soft light to avoid strong shadows. Use many lights and reflectors and a white background, do not forget to put enough light on the background to avoid any shades. High key photographs are not mended to be gray; the main tint should be white. High key photographs are deliberately over-exposed a little bit. This gives the photographs a kind of fairytale and romantic look and feel. To show some examples I have made some photographs of buttocks in high and low key.

(C) 2008 Hein Pragt

A while ago I got to a question from a 20 year old girl that wanted some sensual photographs taken by a professional photographer. She told me that she would prefer a female photographer to overcome the fear to expose herself before the camera. This statement made me thinking, is there some difference between female photographers and male photographers concerning the way they work and the type of pictures they make. I also asked this question to some of the photographers I know and I have put this question on a forum.

First I took a good look at my own collection and after that I tried to find some female photographers who make these kind of pictures. This was rather difficult as there are not so many female photographers in this line of photography, most of the photographers that do this kind of art are male. I found a couple of female photographers and looked at their work, after that I was able to draw some conclusions.

First I want to make a clear difference between model photography for a customer and free work. With studio photographs for a customer, the model or the customer will have a clear idee about the result and the photographer uses his skills to create a picture according the wishes of the customer. In free work its is almost always the full control and creativity of the photographer, this leads to more exiting and controversial photographs.

When looking at photographs for customers I don't see almost no difference between male and female photographers, both try to show the model as nice and beautiful as possible. Female photographers do not make more beautiful or gentler photographs and so the differences between male and female photographers in work for customers seem to be very small.

In free work I see a clear difference that I did not expect. Female photographers create different types of pictures than male photographers. Female photographers seem to show more realistic pictures of women, nothing more nothing less. Male photographers make more fancy poses and make the model look better than she really is. Female photographers also seem to make pictures of women in less charming poses, these photo's are a more realistic view of a woman. Women see nudity as something natural, while male photographers like to make glamour photographs. Male photographers look at the female body like something beautiful en exiting, female photographers seem to considering the female body more as art.

I can imagine the feelings of fear of a novice model and I think that there clearly a market for female photographers. A more experienced model does not have this fear and although most of these photographers are male, they won't have any problems with this. A good photographer also has a professional attitude towards the model and a well-known photographer will give certain familiar feelings to the model to assure her but will always behave very correct toward his model. No well-known photographer wants a bad name.

The bad experiences I sometimes hear from models or read on Internet forums mostly apply to hobby (attic chamber) photographers who offer their services on the Internet. Pay attention on reviews and experiences of other models and never go alone when visiting an unknown photographer. Of course there are many good amateur photographers who make beautiful en good pictures of the human body and treat the model in a professional way. BUT because a professional photographers has more experience and cannot permit himself any negative responses, it is my advise to have a sensitive photo session done by a well-known or at least professional photographer. As a model you have to take care of a good and professional port folio.

(C) 2008 Hein Pragt

The workshop started with coffee and bread and a short explanation how to treat and behave towards a model. After that he explained the use of the studio equipment and the lighting. Amit calculated the best settings for our camara's and after an hour of instruction the model arrived. After a short introduction round the photo session could start. In turn we changed the transmitter device for the studio lights and in a good collegial atmosphere we took some pictures of the model. Factually for us the model was experiences and very pleasant to work with, that compensated a little for our lack of experience. In the meantime Amit gave some directions from time to time and adjusted the studio lights.

During the last hour Amit changed the set to make some for some low key photo's and gave us instruction how to make these kinds of photo's. Also he calculated the settings for our camera's. The whole photograph session took almost two hours followed by half an hour evaluation, in which Amit gave us some advice to improve our photo's and technique. It was a good and interesting experience and I can recommend this to everyone who is interested in this subject. Amit Bar does these workshops on regular basis.