'low key' - how low can you go??

[rengles]

Where is the line between 'low key' and black rectangle? Is this too dark?

Also, what about the following cropping options: 1. crop from the bottom, to put his mouth in a rule of thirds position and square up the composition a bit, or 2. crop off a bit of the bottom AND the top for a similar effect.
Leave the hat intact, or crop off the top so it doesn't take over the photo?

The photo: my bf was goofing around with this hat. There wasn't a lot of light, so I was using exposure bracketing (isn't that what you pros call it? ) on shutter-priority mode to find a shutter speed where I could minimize blur but still get enough light in. I guess I had cranked up the iso to help. This was on the underexposed end but I kind of liked it and decided to play around with it a bit. I increased the contrast a bit on photoscape and lightened his mouth some to draw the focus to the mouth instead of the nose.

Nikon D40 w/55-200mm lens, at ~145mm
exposure: .005s
f/5.3
iso 1600

Thanks for looking!!

[Fo TenX]

I can see it, so no, it isn't too dark!

[SusanH1970]

I'd go a bit lighter. I also think it would work quite well as a BW.

[rengles]

Thanks for the feedback!

Susan--I was also thinking of trying black and white with this. I'll lighten it up and see what happens

[LeeR]

My rule of thumb is that an image can go as high key or low key as you like as long as their is tonality from white to black. That is, something should be pure white and something should be pure black regardless of whether it is high or low key. There are exceptions, but they are very rare. (A friend of mine once photographed an image of a soccer game taken from behind the goal in amost impenetrable fog. You could see the goal and the goalie and nothing else. No whites, no blacks, just shades of gray everywhere you looked. THAT was an exception.)
In your image the only true white is the specular highlight on the man's lip. I don't think that counts so I am in agreeement with SusanH that it needs to be lightened a bit. I am also bothered a bit by the fact that the eyes are completely obscured. I don't think they need to be fully visible, I understand the effect you are looking for, but I do think there should at least be the 'suggestion' that they are there in the shadows.

[rengles]

hmm any better?
increased exposure and contrast, converted to black and white

It's pretty noisy..perhaps that goes with the 'character' of the photo? the d40 really shouldn't even have a 1600 iso setting!



edit: changed the pic...again

[SusanH1970]

I like the edit. It was definitely crying out for BW and looks better lightened a bit. I actually think the noise works well for a shot like this, gives it an old film feel.

[daddyoproductions]

IMHO, the first one is more dramatic. I like the lighting and would maybe lighten up just a bit more of his face and the hat and leave the background more in shadow. I do like the colour too since the tones are so rich.
~C