Black and white photography tip: High-key black and white

Thursday 20 June 2024, 16:16 by Nando Harmsen | 2,184 views | 2 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

A high-key photo consists largely of light tones or even white. That does not mean it cannot contain dark tones. It does not have to, but it can. It can even strengthen the effect.

Put simply, a high-key photo mainly consists of tonal values that sit to the right of the middle in a histogram. Right up to pure white, which is no problem at all in a black and white photo.

However, this does not mean that a high-key photo cannot contain any dark tones. Introducing these can actually make the effect stronger.

Blijenbeek Castle - f/16, 1/4s, 50 ISO @ 26mm

By using dark tones, usually in the subject itself, you create a high-key photo with plenty of contrast. However, that is not the only way to create a high-key image. By limiting dark tonal values instead, and not going darker than 50% grey, you create a very soft effect.

If you choose high-key, always make sure you start with a well-exposed photo. High-key is not simply an overexposed photo, but a thoughtfully edited photo. It can be black and white, but it can also be in colour.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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2 comments

Marc VANDENBORRE wrote on Tuesday 25 June 2024 at 15:55 | reply
Can it then be that no details can be seen anymore in the black tones (the histogram is 'stuck' to the left) or that nothing can be seen anymore in the white tones? (blown out) I think that shouldn't be a problem with black and white.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 26 June 2024 at 09:24 | reply
That is a choice you make as a photographer. You can use pure black and pure white, but you can also choose not to use pure black or white.
As you say, with black and white, you can use 'blown-out white' or 'blocked-up black'.
Translated from Dutch.

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