Need help to create a low key photo

[Aletmyburgh]

Can somebody perhaps help to create a low key image, from color, in PSCS3

[Priss]

Need a little more information--what's a low-key image? Do you mean a duotone, or a monochrome, or a black and white? That sort of thing? Or do you mean one which is obscured and foggy revealing only a little of it?

[Wendy]

Hi ...

To create a low key image from an ordinary photograph try this ..

Duplicate the layer and use Levels to darken the duplicate layer ..
Then apply a layer mask to it and using a soft low opacity brush paint over the highlights of the image ... you will have to experiment but this should set you off in the right direction :)

Wendy

[Aletmyburgh]

Need a little more information--what's a low-key image? Do you mean a duotone, or a monochrome, or a black and white? That sort of thing? Or do you mean one which is obscured and foggy revealing only a little of it?
Thanx Priss, perhaps I had the name wrong? It is black & white portrait, with dark shadows "around" the middle of the face. It can be a bit foggy but it give a sort of dreamy effect. I have one image of my grandson, made in a photolab.Just the mainparts of the face is white, the rest is dark,dark shadows. Hope you have a better clue. Thank you any way.

[Aletmyburgh]

Hi ...

To create a low key image from an ordinary photograph try this ..

Duplicate the layer and use Levels to darken the duplicate layer ..
Then apply a layer mask to it and using a soft low opacity brush paint over the highlights of the image ... you will have to experiment but this should set you off in the right direction :)

Wendy
Thanx Wendy, I try that one and let you know.

[Aletmyburgh]

Thanx Priss, perhaps I had the name wrong? It is black & white portrait, with dark shadows "around" the middle of the face. It can be a bit foggy but it give a sort of dreamy effect. I have one image of my grandson, made in a photolab.Just the mainparts of the face is white, the rest is dark,dark shadows. Hope you have a better clue. Thank you any way.
Wendy, thank you, YOU won my battle. I'll have to experiment, but I think it will do the thing.

[Wendy]

Oh that is great news ... do let us see the image when you have finished it :)

Wendy

[Priss]

Yes do let us see how this turned out. Thank you for the explanation,--I've never tried anything like that.

Thanks Wendy--love that little tip, and now I think I see! :)

[Wendy]

Hi Priss ...

I am pretty sure I have seen a tutorial somewhere showing how to do this ... but I just can't find it :) :)

Wendy

[dmrdm]

This is probably not what you are looking for, but I wasn't sure:

http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photoshop-tutorials/photo-effects/harsh-lighting.html

[Wendy]

Hi ...

Here is a link to what I think Aletmyburgh is trying to achieve ... its not a great example but I did it very quickly :)

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1mtMBaV8r7OqaDhDxuNfxW0T8pDbT0

Wendy :)

[dmrdm]

I checked my O'Reilly Book, Photoshop Photo Effects Cookbook and here's what it says for a low key effect:

Go to Image>Adjustments>Levels. Push the tonal balance in the opposite direction. Grab the black point marker and drag right. This darkens shadows and midtones. The farther right, the more dramtic.

Pull the white point slider to the left to give the highlites a boost.

To give added depth, dupl layer and go to Image>Adjustment>Desaturate and then set the blending mode to Multiply and reduce opacity to 45%.

A low key effect usually works best in b &w images, so go to Image>Mode>Grayscale. Choose flatten if get warning mox.

To fine tune, use dodge tool to lighten a few areas for addded impact. Set exp value to 10%-use tool on whites of eyes and lighter tones in hiar.

Inscrease size of dodge tool and use it sparingly over midtones in face.

Change range for dodge tool to highlightes and use over a few of the lightest areas.

This book is really good for all kinds of effects and it is reasonably priced, especially if you can find it at a used book store or on Amazon:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/photophotofx/

[Aletmyburgh]

Thank you for the "recipe". I will try it as well. Perhaps I could load up a page using photos from the lab. I'll try. So you can see what I want to do. But thank you for every input to this .

[Aletmyburgh]

Goodness!!! I've done it!!!! I load a page in the Members gallery named "King of Hearts" If you like to see what I mean by "low key". These images was made in a lab. Thanx for all the help.