The power of darkness

[genazzano]

Sometimes the power of a photograph can lie in the least defined area, in this instance, the darkest area of an image. Many times the darkest area of an image can simply beg the question Why didn't the photographer use flash or even eliminate the dark area completely? However, sometimes these least exposed area are crucial to the image and, like bokeh, they have a deliberate function.

One of my favorite images was taken in what was poor lighting. However, in this case the dim image of the soaring pilasters over the bright white ness of the bride function to make this photo more than simply a picture of a bride. The toning was done because I liked it though many people don't.

Please share your photos where the dim, poorly exposed areas are indispensible and work well.



David

[philbirch]

You break all the rules and create an wonderful image. I like it. I break the rules and get a bad image.

Here is one I took a few days ago specifically for the lighting. I have done no PP except crop


And the effect I was looking for (not the sharpest because I hand held)

[genazzano]

To my eye, the image is well framed by the light and dark giving the entire photograph a different and stronger character. This is similar to what I tried to do in the image posted in the Our Pictures thread recently.
David

[belgiumreporter]

Hey David, wellcome to my world of darkness. Dark photographs are my core buisness, here's a few examples with diffrent kinds of darkness. all these pics have been sold and published on various occasions.I find it a personal challenge to make these low key pics ,to catch the right mood and maintain detail in the shadows. I've got a lot more that are so dark that you'll wonder if i've taken the front lens cap off

BTW. i do like your bridal shot, mostly people at weddings like things bright and jolly to forget the dark sides of marriage  I never do marriages (as a photographer)

[genazzano]

Excellent. Every one of them. My compliments.

David

[genazzano]

This is another of my favorite shots taken at the entrance to the old midieval castle across the street from our apartment. A rare snowy day.





David

[belgiumreporter]

My Wife every so now and then likes to seek the solitude of the attick to do her reading, there isn't much light though in our attick, so youy get these kind of dark photographs

[genazzano]

That is an excellent shot. However, that is not the typical attic. Please tell us about this attic.

David

[belgiumreporter]

Oct 17, 2014 3:22:59 GMT -5 genazzano said:

That is an excellent shot. However, that is not the typical attic. Please tell us about this attic.

David

Here's some more info on the "attick":
The attick is actually the top room of the tower wich you see in the middle of the photograph ( the walls of this tower are 4 meters thick !!!)



the tower belongs to the castle of the duke of Altenburg ( a city in Thuringen in the former East Germany),Normally the tower isn't open to visit (the one on the right is and so is the castle ) but for some strange reason they've let us in on our own and asked to lock the door after we left! So for a very brief period we felt king and queen of the castle

The history of the castle dates back to the 5th century and inside the castle you can see the wings wich are build and decorated throughout the long history of the castle going from early medieval to as late as the jugendstil period (early 20th century) and everything inbetween gothic, barok, renaissance, empire, rococco, you name it they've got it. Apart from all the architectural highlights, they have a very nice art collection and when we visited a wonderfull photo expo on rural life in the late 19th century. If ever you should be in that part of Germany somewhere between Leipsig and Dresden, be sure to visit Altenburg, there's lots more to see than this castle.

some more shots in and outside the castle:

[genazzano]

Beautiful! Thank you.

David