Lo-key is the opposite of hi-key. The absence of light and a play on dark tones defines the dramatic lo-key photograph. Incorporate a good use of positive and negative values, and a narrative should unfold between your subject and the audience. Here I photographed my subject in character as a Shaman. He’s preparing for a ceremony with wild turkey heads using a large rusty cleaver in silhouette. He painted himself a sooty black with a singular white stripe running from forehead down to chin. There’s an aggressive, tense look as if he was suddenly interrupted within his sanctuary preparing for the ritual.
Location: SCCA Studios, Seattle, WA
Model: Matt Kuntz
Camera/Lens Specifics: Canon 5D Mark II with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens
70mm, 1/10 sec at f/4.5, ISO 100, tripod mount.
Post: Adobe LR3 & PS5
Cameron Karsten's Imaginarium 