blinded by the white

We talk a lot around here about inspiration. And muses. And a million other things that spark our creative spirits. There's no telling what might strike our photo fancys from one minute to the next and what we just might discover. Maybe it's a new lens, maybe a new action or preset. It could be mobile photography or a new app. Maybe it's a Polaroid camera or even film. Whatever it is, it tends to move us forward in our craft. We challenge ourselves, we lean into learning curves, we test and try and experiement. We find sisters who are sharing our love affair of the moment, we take classes, we join communities, we ask questions and we pick up our cameras and shoot.

Currently, I'm focusing on black and white photography and I'm watching others do the same. I'm excited by the collective energy and the challenge of communicating using a monochromatic pallet.  

A recent prompt in class was to try your photographic hand in creating a high key image. Norman Phillips said,  "High key is the term used to describe photographs with white or bright backgrounds and usually with bright lighting situations that render subjects in a light tone similiar to that of the background." Who knew that this kind of photography could be so much fun to try to capture? I'm not saying it's easy. But, like with all other types, styles, ways to photograph our subjects, the more you set your mind to cracking the code, the closer you'll get to cracking it.

I don't usually shoot to achieve such a specific outcome, but in the case of high key however, I am having so much fun with it, I can't help myself! It reminds me of when I got caught up in gathering bokeh. Once you start looking, you can't stop. Nothing better or more fun than finding inspiration through our lens.

Today, won't you join us in hitting the high notes of photos that blind us with the white in the best possible way?

And, don't forget it's Best Shot Monday. Got a great shot from this week? We'd love to see it.

Comments

[Caryn]

Cool shot! I'm sorry to say that I don't have any high-key images to share but I do have a favorite shot from the past week: http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/128366/

[Marcie]

Wow...love your high key effect! You're inspiring me to do some experimenting myself. In the meanwhile - here's my best shot for today: http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2012/5/13/just-yesterday.htm

[Ana Eugenio]

a white day: http://www.anasofiaeugenio.com/2012/05/happy-mothers-day.html

[rakusribut]

wonderful shot! have never tried high key, though some of my landscape images have a kind of hight key haze
http://kagerzoom.blogspot.com/2012/04/maart-2012-week-13-de-geiten-hebben.html
my current discovery/passion/muse/inspiration is contemplative photography, and here's my best shot for this week, taken yesterday
http://momentsofperception.blogspot.com/2012/05/13.html

[Rebecca Lovell]

Wow! This is awesome! What a great photo!!

[marina]

fabulous shot, Tracey!!!
I had never tried high key, but you got me looking through the archives and coming up with this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mar_s/7194867318/lightbox/
I am going to work on this suggestion, it looks fascinating!

[Esther Emma]

participating the picture black and white class, i only can agree with your story. did never shoot a high key shot on purpose, but it is so fascinating, i can't wait to practice more this kind of stuff. it isn;t easy at all. so many ideas, so difficult to realize it in images. but so challenging. :-)) i think i could be totally addicted to it, if i want it to be :-)) but first my focus on black and white for upcoming weeks. and that is addicted stuff too.

i am pretty happy with my high-key shot of last days :-))
http://www.flickr.com/photos/estheremma/7191333802/lightbox/

[Sue]

Not high key in a purist sense, but processed to give a high key look:

http://suehenryphotography.com/imported-20110814191955/2012/3/15/all-night-all-day.html

[Barbara Paulsen]

I'm loving this prompt from Tracey too!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50654891@N07/7196092436/

[Jennifer Hagedorn Dizon]

I am also loving this prompt! It's really pushing me to find the light. Meanwhile, I experimented in the processing with this one and I enjoyed what happened. :-)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jendizon/7196911622/in/photostream

[ELK]

great shot ...


shades of white ... on a soft breeze :

http://www.redorgray.com/2012/05/always-in-flight.html

[damiec]

I don't usually shoot high key, though I am really drawn to the effect, and last spring light on a waterfront provided the perfect backdrop to give it a try. It's one of my favorite photos, and now I'm wondering why I haven't tried again since. Thank you for the reminder.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/5655655505/

[Alexandra]

I suppose this isn't really truly a high key photo since the background isn't white/bright, and the subject isn't rendered in a tone similar to that of the background... but none-the-less, high-key and high contrast was the inspiration!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alxleask/7168100262/in/photostream/lightbox/

[Kathy Winter]

Love the high key shot. I don't have one to share, but here's my Best Shot Monday submission: http://kathycaptureslife.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/a-new-tradition/

[Natasha]

Great post! I love high key black and white images too. Here is my submission, it's the second image in the gallery http://www.natashavaughnphotography.ca/lifestyle-gallery.html

[mary]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37719283@N04/7200032596/in/photostream/
not sure if this is considered high key or not...

[christine]

This shot is awesome, I'm so curious about the setting/settings? I'm a painter and a lot of my paintings are high key, but I've never tried to take a high key photo, I'm going to have fun trying, thanks to you beautiful inspiration.

The first shot in this post might pass as a high-key shot
http://christinecreate.com/dandy/

[Hunter McLachlan]

Hi,
Great post.
I liked the title "blinded by the white".