Low Key by TJ

I had two main ideas for this topic. The self portrait and a mini studio object shot. As I work in a unit I went for the self portrait, and the work setting gave me the opportunity to block out the blazing sunshine and photograph in dark conditions. For my chosen photo I set up my tripod and experimented with the shutter setting to cut out as much light as possible. I used a simple table lamp shining into my face as the only light source, and the photo had an exposure of 1/20 second. I was really pleased with the final exposure as it cut out the background without having to use any editing. The only editing I used was to convert the picture into black and white. Maybe the beads of sweat on my face are not that attractive, but it was a very hot day outside and this for me adds a bit of realism and atmosphere to the photo and I will remember where and when the photo was taken.

The other shots show the progression of how I got to my chosen shot. I took a photo with the unit open to find my position. I then toyed with the exposure to get a feel for the lighting in the unit. Once I closed out the light it was a case of playing with the exposure settings and getting that "natural" shot.