High and Low

An image perceived as being normal will generally have balance in the light and shade of the image. The representation of a certain scene can be manipulated by choosing to emphasize on one extreme, whether that be light or dark through the use of High Key and Low Key lighting.

High key images are predominantly white and use light tones. In the image above, it helps give it a sense of simplicity by limiting the amount of detail and the color palette, ultimately creating a softer image.

The next image is a good example of Low Key lighting. They are effective by limiting the amount of light in the image, resulting in high contrast and hard lighting. In this case, it is used effectively to give the image a moody atmosphere.