Unusual high key photography

[Tommy]

Hi All
I hope you are all very well

Without naming a certain photography company, i would like to know how i can create a high key type of portrait effect similar to theirs
It could mean a new "venture" for me, if you know what i mean

best regards
Tommy

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

Like this?

[tonymidd]

This is one of the best sites on lighting of all types
http://www.itchy-animation.co.uk/tutorials/light01.htm

[Tim]

Interesting read there Tony.. Basic stuff but well worth a look over..

[tonymidd]

Interesting read there Tony.. Basic stuff but well worth a look over..

Glad you found it interesting Tim, we can over look the basics as we get more experienced.

[JBMUK]

Hi All
I hope you are all very well

Without naming a certain photography company, i would like to know how i can create a high key type of portrait effect similar to theirs
It could mean a new "venture" for me, if you know what i mean

best regards
Tommy

talking of Venture the shipley franchise were in Morrisons in Skipton on Friday, I do like some of their images but the ones they had up on display I just didnt like, they were too high key and over the top for me..

[ladyphotog]

Is this what you are looking to do?

[lostmysnorkel]

A number of ways to achieve the 'venture' look using photoshop. In the old days of film, it was called cross-processing.

Basically, the background has to be pure white (255)

Then, really push the contrast on the subject.

I prefer to do it in curves myself, but other s may have better ideas.

i think one of the photo mags has a tutorial on it this month....try browsing WH Smiths, I think it was 'Digital Photo' that ran the piece.

[dusktildawn]

I'M just learning this stuff myself. Tutor gave us a 20 min demo on High, Mid and low Key images. Quite a lot to try and take in but here goes.... Dare say someone will be able to give better advice.

1. The backdrop/background has generally to be overexposed by 2 stops. For example if your shooting at say F8 the background should be metererd for F16. The "taking light" or main flash for high key should be equal to the the background lighting. White reflectors either side of the subject should be employed to bounce the light back.... I hope this is right or I'm really screwed when it comes to my next brief :)

All the best

Charley

[Tommy]

Hi

Thanks for your replies.

I was curious to know how to create the Venture portrait style.
The style is not to everyones liking, but it does produce some interesting images and i would like to try the effects on some of my portraits.

I will try experimenting using curves and also look out for digital photo

best regards
Tommy

[ladyphotog]

I'M just learning this stuff myself. Tutor gave us a 20 min demo on High, Mid and low Key images. Quite a lot to try and take in but here goes.... Dare say someone will be able to give better advice.

1. The backdrop/background has generally to be overexposed by 2 stops. For example if your shooting at say F8 the background should be metererd for F16. The "taking light" or main flash for high key should be equal to the the background lighting. White reflectors either side of the subject should be employed to bounce the light back.... I hope this is right or I'm really screwed when it comes to my next brief :)

All the best

Charley

No more than 2 stops over for your background, you need the lights uniform across the background and plenty of space between the subject and background. Make sure the background light does not spill onto the subject. To do the high key on the face you normally use 2 or 3 lights on the subject, with very little contrast across the face. Start with the whitest background you can get, superwhite works best but is expensive. Hope that helps.

[GlenJDiamond]

Try this site for retouch tutorials.
http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=209
I used that technique for this bride image. They may have tutorials for overexposed burnt out venture looking images. The image attached looks a little too blotchy because I took it off the thumbnails on the photobox website, but I can honestly say that the large file looks a lot lot better than this!!!

[rab]

ok call me a cynic, but to get 'that' (venture) look; over expose the background by a couple of stops, not too much or it will bleed on to the subject. Use a couple of lights and reflectors if needed. Then take it into photoshop, play with the curves/levels which ever you like, play with contrast if you really want to push it out and I have a feeling that 'they' go way over board on colour saturation, at least in the ones I have seen.

Bit unfair maybe, you can make some good images in this style, but it seems odd and limiting to base a whole business on it? Their marketing is very effective though, I can't go shopping without running into their sales people somewhere.

Rab

____________________________________

www.photographical.co.uk

[lostmysnorkel]

I once 'won' a Venture session a while ago.

Went along and met the 'tog.

First thing he said was:

"We don't do twee, we don't do traditional here"

I thought, 'If I was paying your kinda prices shouldn't you be asking what I want'.

Did the session, which was fun, little Amy had a great time.

Went back a week later for the viewing and got a bit of a hard sell. I've had pushier sales people, but it was still a hard sell in the end. This was the point my wife dropped in to the conversation that i did a bit of 'togging (at the time I was only shooting underwater for the magazines) and the selling stopped.

Decided just to take the free 7x5 and chose a gorgeous shot of my daughter.

Went to collect it when it was in, opened it up and they had 'treated' it in the Venture style so that the two year old looked a little like she had lipstick on, rouge on her cheeks etc etc.

The assistant exclaimed "Oh! The cross-processing looks lovely doesn't it"
"Cross-proessed?" I asked, "I though it was shot digitally?"
"Well,erm yes ....but......it's a lovely picture isn't it?"
...at that she went to answer the phone and I left!


It's amazing how many of my clients, in particular, those who have children, have big Venture prints on display in their living rooms so they must be doing something right!