Creating a High Key, High Contrast Effect

1. crisderaud23 March 2011, 2:48 GMT +01:00

In this week's free video technique, Deke shares his recipe for taking an ordinary portrait and turning it into something visually striking by adding a high key, high contrast effect. The tools are reasonably simple: a color adjustment layer, a few passes with the dodge and burn tools, a roughly drawn layer mask, and a gradient to finish the effect off. But the result is sophisticated and compelling. I've seen plenty of high key treatments that render images flat and jarring, but with Deke's thoughtful approach, you can crank up the highlights, increase the contrast, and yet still maintain volume in the detail.

http://www.deke.com/content/deke’s-techniques-012-creating-a-high-key-high-contrast-effect