Sofia leads us in this interesting challenge – Exposure. Please visit her beautiful site for inspiration! Now, it is up to you how you work on exposure. I prefer using aperture when photographing, but for this challenge I decided only to play with changing the exposure settings while editing. In general, I find that the easiest way to get the look I want. The idea here is to see how the mood of any photo depends on its exposure.
First, some of my high key flower images. I used to be rather obsessed with that some years ago.
What is High-Key Photography?
In short, high-key images are those that have few shadows and have the subject set against a very bright background. High-key images are often set against over-exposed backdrops and the average of all the pixels in the image is very bright. High-key is the opposite of low-key images that are defined by their darker tones.
But, I am cheating…I have this opportunity in one of my cameras, and I also use NIK. If you want to try it for real, here’s an explanation and a tutorial.
Hiking last week in the deforested area, made for sunlit roots and grass. The area felt desaturated – in a positive way.
I decided for monochrome before changing the exposure in LR. The low exposure was a hit for me. I could almost feel the beautiful, whitened roots come alive in the play of light and shadow. Please click to enlarge.
For this plumbago flower, I used Lightroom to create different exposures. You can see that in the underexposed image the light is softly shining through the petals, something you cannot see that well in the overexposed picture. Harmony.
NIK can make striking high key images, while the low key one with LR touched shadows gives another feel.
Different umbrellas
This fly agaric stood alone in the shadow, neutral exposure – with an underexposed image, you can make the ”hat” glow when editing in for example LR. More magic!
Landscapes – well, I don’t know what you prefer, but I prefer the ethereal look of the overexposed image.
Last, but not least, if you are a follower, you already know that I love double exposures. You can make them in Photoshop, but I am lucky enough to be able to make them in my camera. This image I have featured several times, but it is the one I think have turned out the best. So far. In the header – roses.
To sum it up, for me it’s aperture photography, but I often find that playing with exposure while editing gives me a wider range of opportunities. Good for me – I am not always fast in deciding how I want the final image to look. I think that underexposed images make for interesting edits and overexposed images can lift the photo to something ethereal.
Last week we had John’s creative challenge to lighten up our windows to the world. The variety of replies showed how every challenge can be interpreted in a different, personal way and that applies to this week’s challenge as well. We” invite you to play, think or just do your own thing with exposure, either on camera or while editing. and then show us the result.”
Please link to Sofia’s original post and tag with Lens-Artists so we can all find you. Next challenge it is Anne hosting, be sure to visit her beautiful site for inspiration.
As always, stay calm and kind.
Leya 
I like that urban double-exposure a lot; and in Stockholm, too! I had a brief stay some summers ago, and it’s definitely a favourite!
Thank you – yes, Stockhoolm is a beautiful city.
Pingback: Lens-ArtistPC-224-Exposure – WoollyMuses
I so admire and respect your knowledge, experience and learning then sharing your ‘how-tos’ – alas – I’m a hobbyist – with both camera and software – to me? Any setting on camera, and/or layers/filters within software? Bare basics but often? I gaze upon what I thought I was taking a picture of and what REALLY got captured for a moment in time, (raw photo/footage) and in exploring the tool bar of software – because I’m so far behind since such things moved out of the processing of film negatives & creations of final photos in the dark room, surrounded by trays, various lights, total darkness and chemicals? I just ‘clickey-click’ on preset options – and then think, ”OOHHH!!!! How lovely! save that one! um….now….how did I do that? was I messing with layers, overlays, masques, exposure, blends, ….OHHH! NO!!! Well, at least I saved it – that one – maybe someday, I’ll remember which menu option I was on and which preset I clicked on just to see what it does – ” 😀 Sad, but true – thus, I truly APPRECIATE these kind of posts from you – the pictures, the skill in tools/expertise just WOW me!!
Why thank you…but most of the time I feel it is sheer luck if a photo turns out the way I like. And we definitely have the same problem in remembering how we did it…;-D
Ahhh! Wonderful! I don’t feel ‘alone’ in my struggles now, even while I watch with fascination what those ahead of me in knowing on this path or that, wow me with their knowledge and skills! Thank you!!!
♥
I really liked the darker version of the mushroom, Ann-Christine. It looks magical and mysterious.
I am glad you liked it too – thank you. I love the magic of it!
I am amazed at how comparing two different exposures give such totally different moods, the trees especially. And your double exposure creates such a feel of extreme motion and busyness…
Thank you, and yes, comparing really makes you see the difference.
Lovely!
Thank you so much.
Wow, wow, wow. Another set of striking images, AC. I love your overexposed flowers in the header and your double exposure of the train station. That was a great idea. I wish I had tried another double exposure this week. I love that little glowing mushroom, too. Your results are fabulous. 😀
Thank you so much, Patti – it was a fun challenge from Sofia.
Wonderful exploration. Love the high key flowers, but the fantastic contrasts between subject and ground of the under-exposed shots is extraordinary.
I am glad you liked them, I.J. Thank you!
These are great pictures Ann-Christine! I especially like your flower images as well as the double exposure one of your roses, so beautiful.
Thank you so much, Sylvia! Flowers are a passion so i guess it shows somehow.
Wow… what a set of gallery! Love the high key flower images, especially. The double exposure photos are stunningly beautiful. Excellent!!
Great examples Ann-Christine! I love your flowers and double exposure.
Thank you, Anne – they are my favourites.
😊
GREAT selections and comparisons A-C. LOVE the double exposure. An ‘alternate universe’ perhaps. I hope all the trains don’t arrive at the same time! 😱
Haha – alternative universe I like…maybe a better one than ours in some ways…And, I can assure you that I only know of one train accident in that train station…and it wasn’t my fault!
I love your double exposed roses and high key flowers. Like you I often rely on the editing stage to create the look I want as I can experiment with different effects on the same image, so it was really interesting to see your examples 😀
Thank you, Sarah! I think I do more in software than in my camera…And looking at other people’s work is refreshing and inspirational. So are yours to me.
And likewise yours 😀
Thank you for this rich information.
Love the high key clicks.
Thanks Philo!
You are welcome AC
Love your high key images Ann-Christine! They are like paintings. The double exposed roses are lovely too. I have never tried that myself. May be it’s time that I try both the high key and double exposure! Thanks for the inspiration 😀
Thank you for a nice comment – it feels good if I have inspired!
I think many of these comparisons show middle ground is best to tell the story
I must agree. But a fun challenge, and it helps people draw conclusions of what they like or not.
Beautiful examples, Ann-Christine. It’s funny how we all have our own processes to achieve what we’re looking for and our own personal tastes too. Most of the time I’d prefer low key but there’s always one or two to change my view. Yours are some of those. I will not attempt to pick any favourites, they all are.
Thank you, Sofia! I agree about low key, but sometimes the opposite brings out a special feeling…hard to describe. I think much depends on my mood that day or in that moment, which I prefer of them.
Beautiful, as always. I love the double exposure composition.
So glad you liked it, Florin! Thank you!
Fascinating and thanks for the lesson on how you had achieved these photo effects.
I am glad you thought it fascinating, Anne, I think so too! What software can do is amazing.
Nice examples – I like the effect in your double exposure
Thank you, Nora!
I did not know of high-key and low key (at least in terminology). I love the comparisons you provided. Most like the tress and mushroom are stunning with any of your editing. I do love the flowers though. I do love the first flower image where you introduced high key. Always beautiful
Thank you, Donna. So glad you like that first image too…it is one of my absolute favourites.
As always Ann-Christine, wonderful examples. Your flowers are magical and I truly love the opening double exposure. Like you I am a fan of the Nik tools and more often than not find the heart of my photographs as I see them on the screen. However we approach them, exposure gives us such amazing flexibility with our choices. Terrific explanations and examples this week.
Thank you, Tina! Yes, I sometimes think of the times before LR, PS and NIK for example. I had a simple editing program, but was happy with it.
For a nonphotographer as myself, I enjoy and appreciate comparing images to make your point. Well done, Ann-Christine.
Thank you so much, Frank!
I do more changes in my Corel PaintShop Pro photo editing program than with my camera 🙂
Good. And I do more in LR and PS and NIK.
The days of going to the darkroom are gone. These days you can say all you want in post editing. But you still need to have an eye for the story, and you always do, Ann-Christine 🤗💗
And you are always positive and kind, Jo! Thank you!
I think ‘Different Umbrellas’ is the most striking example of ‘exposure’ and what can be accomplished in post-processing. I almost always shoot in Aperture priority and make adjustments in NIK. I also use the ‘exposure compensation’ button on my camera to play with exposure and create different looks. Nice examples of the process. Thanks
Thank you for commenting!
Great examples.
Thank you
These are beautiful. Thanks for the lesson.
Thank you for reading and commenting!