Your First Low Key Portraits | Take and Make Great Photography with Gavin Hoey

At first glance low key photography looks simple enough. All you need to do is take a photo that mostly consists of shadows and it’s low-key. But in reality, low-key photography has a lot more going on. Yes, you need to master the shadows but at the same time the image needs to be correctly exposed and very often, that means you also need to see some highlights.

This fine balance is explored by Gavin Hoey where he combines three simple lighting techniques with some basic props. The results are beautiful low-key portraits that you can reproduce at home.

Starting with the essentials such as ensuring your shadows are as dark as possible, Gavin begins with a simple one-light set-up that makes use of a wide-brimmed hat to create some deep, dark shadows.

Next Gavin moves his Flashpoint XPLOR300 flash to the side of his model and uses a length of red fabric to add a splash of color.

Finally, Gavin uses a sheet of foam core with a letterbox-shaped hole cut into it. This cookie (or gobo) is used to project a slit of light across the model's face. A second flash adds a little bit of fill light and completes the look.

Timestamps and Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:55 Preparing for low key portraits
2:27 Creating shadows with a hat
4:28 Low key portraits with a hat
5:13 Setting up sidelight for low key
6:55 Low Key portraits with sidelight
7:53 Using a cookie to control light
9:50 Low key portraits with a slit of light
10:41 Conclusions and Subscribe

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✘ PRODUCTS USED:

Flashpoint XPLOR 300 Pro
https://www.adorama.com/fplfx300ptb.html

Flashpoint eVOLV 200 Pro
https://www.adorama.com/fplfev200pk1....

Flashpoint R2 Pro Transmitter
https://www.adorama.com/fprrr2proo.html

Glow S2 Round Flash S-type Bowens Mount Bracket
https://www.adorama.com/glbdsm02pro.html

Glow 7” Honeycomb Grid Set
https://www.adorama.com/glrfg7k1.html

Glow 7" Reflector For The Bowens Mount
https://www.adorama.com/glrf7bo.html

Flashpoint 10’ C-Stand and Grip Arm
https://www.adorama.com/fplsc.html

Olympus E-M1 Mark III
https://www.adorama.com/iomem1m3.html

Olympus 12-100mm f/4 Pro
https://www.adorama.com/iom12100b.html

Tether Tools Pro 16' USB 2.0 Active Extension Cable
https://www.adorama.com/ttcu1917.html

Tether Tools AeroTab
https://www.adorama.com/ttatl4.html

Sekonic L-308 Flash Meter
https://www.adorama.com/sksk401305.html

Sekonic L-308 Red Cover
https://www.adorama.com/sk401332.html

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Follow Gavin on
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Model and MUA Sophie Daly
  / sophie_daly  

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THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!