Image bank - High key lighting

High-key lighting is a style of lighting for film, television, or photography that aims to reduce the lighting ratio present in the scene. This was originally done partly for technological reasons, since early film and television did not deal well with high contrast ratios, but now is used to suggest an upbeat mood.

With high key lighting photography, this breakfast/dessert food has been able to be conveyed attractively, making this snack look appetising and tasty. The additional drop of maple syrup being poured over the waffles looks glossy and filled with a sweet taste as it gently forms a few thick puddles besides the bottom of the waffles. They also look appealing because they have been cut into just three cubes, which doesn't overpower the audience when they look at the image. A small portion of waffles have been gathered instead of having one large waffled be photographed as this could look less inviting to a viewer because it might look like too much; especially with all of the added toppings. By having a few waffle cubes and a slight drizzle of syrup makes the dish look light and tasty, enough to encourage someone to go out and now perhaps buy a packet of waffles.

With this landscape picture of 6 penne pasta tubes high key lighting has been directed  from behind them, leaving them darker at the bottom side of the frame and brighter at the top. There are only very faint shadows beneath some of the tubes which illustrates how the lighting technique has been used correctly.  The variety of pasta colours are what makes this image look attractive, as they are all light colours which also look very autumnal; consisting of light orange, dark brown, beige, mustard, light burgundy and light khaki. These colours could possibly represent a new brand of pasta being released "this Autumn" or something. There is a pattern of them, with a variety of shapes, and the colours are all complimentary, therefore displaying a successful use of formal elements.

This is a simple photograph of scattered hundreds and thousands pouring out from a paper cup. The cup has been put on its side in the right hand side of the frame whilst the rest of the confectionery has been sprawled across the remaining of the frame. Because the subject is on a table, the whole frame is able to be filled with the subject. I like the sprawl of the hundreds and thousands across the frame as the pattern is muddled up rather than being precise. I'm not too keen on the shadow that has appeared on the right side of the cup and then beneath it as this takes away the appeal of the high key lighting effect. In this photograph, the contrast between the white background and the colourful confectionery is apparent, more so than if the background was black, as the darker hundreds and thousands would have blended in. 

This is another confectionery photograph that I  am inspired by incredibly for my advertising project.  I've framed the image as a portrait which allows the plate of pancakes and the forkful of pancake slices to both remain in the composition. It is most certainly the combination of colours that makes this photograph stand out against the white background. It makes the pancakes look even more tasty than they would usually as I find multicolour appealing, especially when they are incorporated in a yummy dish. The drizzle of syrup that's being shared between the pancake pile and the fork is an effective element to this piece as it conveys why the fork is so high up in the frame instead of closer to the pancakes, making the wasted space in the frame less evident. 

As I also want to explore make up and feminine products in photography I wanted to look at some images that explore mixing these colours together as I enjoy this formal element the most. In advertising, colour is always evident in the majority of most pieces as this is something that will draw a person in. Colour attracts the consumer the most, so the more there is, in my opinion, the more attention the photographer will attract if it's featured in a piece. The nail varnish that this lady is wearing corresponds with the colours on her face. This was a good decision made by the photographer because it makes the overall image look more complete. There has also been a light placed behind the left and right side of the model's hair. This light has made the details in her hair stand out which makes it more of an effective composition than if her hair hadn't been lit from the back. 

This is more of a product based photograph where a NARS contour pallet, concealer and brush have been captured in a slightly grouped composition on top of the contents. Strokes of powder have been smudged on the table along with strokes of concealer, and then the products have been placed on top in order for the image to convey how these products were the ones that created the mess. Placing the products on top of the mixtures makes the photo look more whole than if the products were situated in different segments of the frame. The strokes and smudges blend well with the products which is why I think this overall image is a successful one. The piece has been shot from a birds eye view meaning that there hasn't had to have been any infinity curve between the table and the backdrop in order to achieve the bright white background that it has as the framing is 2D instead of 3D.