Here are 3 tips to improve your high key portraits.
1. Resist the temptation to blast the living daylights out of your subject with too much light. The most common mistake I see in high key portraits is over exposure, blown out skin with no texture or color.
2. Don't be scared of some darkness. Shadows are what give objects (faces) their shape and dimension and lighting that is too even makes a flat and dull image.
3. Keep your background bright but leave some distance between it and your subject. This will stop the light from your background fading out your image allowing it to really pop!
Like, share and comment for more!
Here are 3 tips to help you create perfect low key portraits.
1. Make sure you don't under expose your shot. Now you might say, a low key portrait is supposed to be dark, and you are correct, but make sure you still retail detail in your shadows.
2. Add a subtle rim light to separate your subject from your background. This defines them and avoids them disappearing into the black void.
3. Keep your key light close. This will help control unwanted light flying around and illuminating things you don't want illuminated. The light will also fall off quickly from one side of the frame to the other creating drama, which everybody loves!
This is the final modification to the lighting setup from my previous posts. We cranked up the back light and added a strip box to further increase its effect, then added a large white card to fill in the deep shadows. It's a dramatic look for sure, almost sinister? On a subconscious (and spiritual for some) level we understand that light comes from above ie. the sun. This means shadows form under the eyelids, nose and chin so it's unusual to see highlights in these areas, and catch lights in the lower half of the eyes.
Let me know which shot is your fav!
#lighting #photographytutorial #coach #mentor #godox
Same but different. Building off my last post, by placing a black card behind your subject you can very quickly create a different look. Make sure to increase the power of the light behind your subject, this will create a subtle rim light to separate them from the blackness. Pro tip, choose a model that isn't so grumpy.
#lighting #tutorial #nikoncanada #captureone #godox
If you're looking to shoot a dramatic high contrast silhouette there are two critical things you need to know. First, you must resist the urge to blast your back light at full power. This will ghost your image and you'll lose contrast since you're shooting directly into your light source. You'll also blow out the fine details around the perimeter of your silhouette. Second, separate your subject from the background as far as you realistically can, otherwise your background light will start to influence your subject and you'll lose the drama of the strong silhouette. Like, follow and share for more tips!
#lightingtutorial #studiophotographer #godox #tutorial #portrait
2025 was a disappointing year for me, professionally, but more so personally. I let too many people down and didn't show up how I wanted to. They say you should never turn your passion into your profession and that can be true, but it doesn't have to be. After 15 years as a photographer with an ADHD brain it can be a challenge to find new things to be excited about. I've had the 5 figure months and 6 figure years, I've had the magazine covers and billboards, I've been hired across the country and out of the country, I've met amazing people and been a part of dreams I never thought was possible when I started this journey. The goal boxes are all ticked, but somewhere along the way, the one labeled 'spark' faded. This, and the following posts, are the rekindling of it, creating simply for the joy of it. No clients, deadlines, or expectations, just manipulating light for the pure love of it, back to where the journey began. I apologize for the subject material, hopefully your eyes heal.
#photography #passion #create
From the gym to the podium 🏋️♀️🏆 Hyrox is the fitness crazy sweeping the nation.
Courtney, Hyrox athlete proudly sponsored by BPM, placed 3rd in the Pro category at Vancouver Hyrox! Every sled push, burpee, and wall ball led to this moment. Hyrox tests everything—strength, stamina, mental grit—and she proved she’s ready for it all. 💥
Train hard. Push limits. Chase your goals. This is what it takes. 🔥
#HyroxTraining #BPMFitness #HyroxPro #AthleteLife #gymlife
From the gym to the podium 🏋️♀️🏆 Hyrox is the fitness crazy sweeping the nation.
Courtney, Hyrox athlete proudly sponsored by BPM, placed 3rd in the Pro category at Vancouver Hyrox! Every sled push, burpee, and wall ball led to this moment. Hyrox tests everything—strength, stamina, mental grit—and she proved she’s ready for it all. 💥
Train hard. Push limits. Chase your goals. This is what it takes. 🔥
#HyroxTraining #BPMFitness #HyroxPro #AthleteLife #gymlife
From the gym to the podium 🏋️♀️🏆 Hyrox is the fitness crazy sweeping the nation.
Courtney, Hyrox athlete proudly sponsored by BPM, placed 3rd in the Pro category at Vancouver Hyrox! Every sled push, burpee, and wall ball led to this moment. Hyrox tests everything—strength, stamina, mental grit—and she proved she’s ready for it all. 💥
Train hard. Push limits. Chase your goals. This is what it takes. 🔥
#HyroxTraining #BPMFitness #HyroxPro #AthleteLife #GymLife StrengthAndConditioning EnduranceAthlete FunctionalFitness TrainHard FitFam LevelUp PushYourLimits
Client: @mknightconstruction
Project: Interior and exterior photography for awards submission and portfolio.
Another year of Care Awards are in the books and this gem cleaned up capturing gold in all ten entered categories, including the prestigious 'Project of the Year'. It was an honor to spend two days and what felt like 1 million steps capturing this masterpiece. Here is a list of the winning categories and just a few of the accompanying photos.
Best Single Family Detached Home over $5,000,000
Best New Garden Suite / Accessory Building
Best Outdoor Space over $500,000
Best New Home Design over $2,000,000
Best Innovative Feature over $100,000
Best Contemporary Kitchen over $200,000
Best Primary Suite over $300,000
Best Interior – Homes over $3,000,000
Best Custom Millwork over $300,000
Project of the Year
Huge congrats to Mike and the many contributors who brought this to life!
#dreamhome #dreamhomesofcanada #awardwinning #careawards2025 #luxury #shifter #architecture #yyj #yyjrealestate
Here are a few more exteriors from this masterpiece built by Mike and his team. You can look carefully but you won't find a single knot in any of the timbers, I've never seen anything with this level of attention to detail.
