Low-key lighting
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Low-key lighting is a style of
lighting Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight. ...
for
photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...
,
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
or
television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
. It is a necessary element in creating a
chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...
effect. Traditional photographic
lighting Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight. ...
( three-point lighting) uses a key light, a fill light and a back light for illumination. Low-key lighting often uses only a key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector. Low key light accentuates the contours of the subject by throwing areas into shade while a fill light or reflector may illuminate the shadow areas to control contrast. The relative strength of key-to-fill, known as the lighting ratio, can be measured using a
light meter A light meter (or illuminometer) is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, an exposure meter is a light meter coupled to either a Digital data, digital or analog calculator which displays the correct shutter speed and f-nu ...
. Low key lighting has a higher lighting ratio, e.g., 8:1, than high-key lighting, which can approach 1:1.


Examples in film

The term "low key" is also used in
cinematography Cinematography () is the art of motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography. Cinematographers use a lens (optics), lens to focus reflected light from objects into a real image that is transferred to some image sen ...
and photography to refer to any scene with a high lighting ratio, especially if there is a predominance of shadowy areas. It tends to heighten the sense of alienation felt by the viewer, hence is typically used in dramas,
film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
, and
horror films Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction **Psychological horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Christmas horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Analog horror, a subgenre of horror fiction * ...
. Some classic noir films that have used the technique include '' The Big Sleep'', ''
Double Indemnity ''Double Indemnity'' is a 1944 American film noir directed by Billy Wilder and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom. Wilder and Raymond Chandler adapted the screenplay from James M. Cain's Double Indemnity (novel), novel of the same na ...
'', and others. In ''The Big Sleep'', lamps are frequently used as light sources and often only illuminate certain details in a scene, creating sharp silhouettes and providing a stark lighting contrast for much of the film. Specific examples of the technique’s use regarding the lamps occur whenever
Philip Marlowe Philip Marlowe ( ) is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler who was characteristic of the hardboiled crime fiction genre. The genre originated in the 1920s, notably in '' Black Mask'' magazine, in which Dashiell Hammett's The Cont ...
(played by
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...
) has to place a phone call to the police. He turns on a lamp every time he does so, indicating his return to the side of the “good guys.” In ''
Double Indemnity ''Double Indemnity'' is a 1944 American film noir directed by Billy Wilder and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom. Wilder and Raymond Chandler adapted the screenplay from James M. Cain's Double Indemnity (novel), novel of the same na ...
'', the lighting in Walter Neff’s (played by Fred MacMurray) confession scenes underscores the murder which he is confessing to, and suggests a “dark” aspect to his character. In addition, low key lighting appears in the film in numerous other instances, such as the scenes taking place in Phyllis’s (played by Barbara Stanwick) house, more specifically when either Neff or Phyllis is alone or together within the home. The
chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...
effect the technique often created was also used liberally in classic noir. An example of such a filmmaking choice can be seen in the 1940 film noir '' Stranger on the Third Floor'', which used the lighting contrast to highlight the fantastical qualities of the environment. Chiaroscuro and by extension low key lighting was also used to great effect in
German expressionist cinema German expressionist cinema () was a part of several related creative movements in Germany in the early 20th century that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in Northweste ...
, widely considered a forerunner of film noir. Modern neo-noir films such as ''
There Will Be Blood ''There Will Be Blood'' is a 2007 American epic film, epic historical drama, period drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely based on the 1927 novel ''Oil!'' by Upton Sinclair. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kev ...
'' have also employed the tactic to great effect, often using the technique to evoke a sense of unease. Other modern noir-adjacent films and television shows that have used the technique include '' Joker'', '' The Batman'' and the films of David Fincher, director of '' Seven''. Fincher in particular makes extensive use of limited light sources, often highlighting an invisible conflict between “light nddarkness” by effectively controlling the light of his scenes. Cinematographers such as Roger Deakins also use aspects of low key lighting in their scene composition. In particular, Deakins and others used natural light as much as they could, which often had the effect of creating low key lighting when filmed in low light conditions. Examples of films Deakins has worked on include '' Blade Runner 2049'' and '' The Man Who Wasn't There''. More recent examples include the films of David Lowery and
Andrew Droz Palermo Andrew Droz Palermo, is an American cinematographer. He is known for his work on '' The Green Knight'' (2021), '' A Ghost Story'' (2017), '' You're Next'' (2011), '' A Teacher'' (2013), and for directing '' Rich Hill'' (2014) and '' One & Two'' ...
, the latter of whom praises natural low-key lighting techniques for their “painterly and expressionistic” quality. Cinematographer Devan Scott also notes the influence of digital technology in creating these films as well as its increased use in the industry by citing the technology’s relative ease of use, and stating that the increase in dark lighting is “a trend enabled by tools” first and foremost. The proliferation of such techniques has been criticized by viewers in several instances. For example, many viewers reacted poorly to a dimly-lit final battle in the finale of ''
Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...
'', despite series cinematographer Fabian Wagner stating that the darkness was intentional, claiming the “show runners decided that he battlehad to be a dark episode.” Other modern examples of viewer backlash include films such as '' Arrival'' and ''
Solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity * Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character * Napoleon Solo, fr ...
'', as well as TV shows such as '' Ozark'' and '' The Mandalorian''. File:Low-key cat.jpg File:Ayesha Blue Hour Film.jpg File:Low-key photography - portrait of a young man.jpg File:Low key Nina.jpg File:Avocado leaflets.JPG File:12-03-17-aktstudien-nuernberg-by-RalfR-32.jpg


See also

* Backlighting (lighting design) *
Chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...
*
Contre-jour Contre-jour (; ) is a photographic technique in which the camera is pointing directly toward a light source, source of light, as well as an equivalent technique of painting. Description Before its use in photography, contre-jour was used in pa ...
* High-key lighting * Low-key photography


References

{{Reflist
Photographic techniques Cinematography