High Key and High contrast are lighting descriptive terms in photography that describe the use of bright light in a photographic piece.  Often confused by new photographer and photography enthusiast thinking these are the same but in reality is a great different approach to the use of high intensity lighting in image making. High contrast is characterized by marked disparity between the main and fill light that creates an image with a very distinctive density range. In the other hand a high key image presents a low density range in the light tones with minimal or faded mid towns or shadows and the absence of bright and dark tones with the exception of a few ascent or defining elements.  The following photos illustrate the difference. Notice the absents of shadows and the relatively similar in intensity light and medium tons in the first image, this is a high key photo. In the second image you can see the distinctive disparity on tones and the marked shadows characteristic of High Contrast images. 
 

High Key Image
 

Just about Light and Shadows

The key element of photographer is light, without light imagery is impossibility. For this reason it's important to know about different types of lighting and its effects on the subject. Understanding the relationship between light, subject and shadows is the basis to successful photography. In this article I will basic knowledge of the most commonly used lighting terms in modern photography.

High and Low Key

High Key and Low Key refer to the type or style of lighting used to illuminate a set or scene. High-key lighting is bright and even illumination that provides an uplifting or happy mood. This type of lighting minimizes shadows and harsh details providing a soft effect with little contrast. Opposite, Low-key lighting provides heavy contrast, with subjects and scenes containing strong highlights and shadows. This is a very dramatic approach to illumination that creates high impact and captures attention.

Rim Lighting

Rim lighting or back lighting, also view as separation lighting is used to highlights the edges of a subject. Commercial portraiture greatly benefits of this technique. With the use of rim lighting the photographer achieves a more dramatic look and more marked separation of the subject from the background. When used with a dark background increases the focal point on the subject.

Soft or Hard Lighting

This refers to the quality of light relative to how directly it illuminates the subject. Soft lighting is modified or diffused to even the spread of illumination and minimize shadows. In nature this happens on an over cast day when the sun is blocked by clouds, for artificial lights the use of modifiers such as diffusers, soft boxes and umbrellas are very effective to achieve soft lighting. Direct lighting is considered hard lighting and produces strong highlights and shadows. A sunny day or a speed-light with no modifier are samples of this type of lighting. Here you can see how in a low-key set hard lighting may be the most effective and soft light would work well in high-key. However this is not a rule.

Spot or Flood Lighting

Spotting and flooding may be adjusted manually in most studio light systems. This allows you better control over how gradual is the falloff of light from the center to the edge illuminated area. Spotting will create a more concentrated light beam emulating direct lighting, flooding emulate diffused lighting conditions.

Catch Light

Catch light is a reflection of light visible in the eyes of the subject. This is not a type of lighting, nor is it referent to quality of lighting. However these are an interesting element in portrait photography adding life to the subject.

It is true that with the introduction of digital cameras photography has become part of our daily live. Digital Single Lens Reflection (DSLR) cameras have become affordable, point and shoot cameras are accessible to everyone and even cellular phones provide a fairly good quality image. Photo enthusiasts and image professionals alike have the advantage of view and share photos over the internet. There is a constant flow of photograph, this play a role in how the work of one photographer may influence the work of others. This brings us to my point, originality. Many believe that with millions of pictures taken and shared every day it is impossible to be creative and present something new, anything that has not been done or tried before.

It is true that the task is difficult since there are millions of photographers active in the daily basis. Some have not even attempt to be original, others are easily influenced by the work of more known image professionals and even enthusiasts. Thos striving for uniqueness often get discouraged when their work look similar to what they see in the internet. Some only seek to enhance their technical ability and that is sufficient for them.

The human been is naturally drown to originality, each individual desires to be unique at one point or another. This represent an ever quest for that special shot, the one that will separate you from all other photographers. This makes it imperative for a serious photographer to find and be able to show a individual style. There is the answer; we should not be waiting for that amazing shot to show in our live. What will make you original and unique is to work every day at developing a personal style, once you find and define your style all your shots will be original and amazing even when a thousand photographers take a shot of the same subject, the same day at the same time. Yours will standout only if you have defend your own unique style.

You can use the same techniques and equipment, even the same subject others have tried millions of times before and still been unique. The answer is not to chase after the perfect shot or attempting to be innovative, it is simply to be you, authentic. Don’t look at others work for inspiration; extract that inspiration from within yourself and the environment. The daily bombardment of visual stimuli coupled with the everyday distractions and routines suffocate the creative you. Learn from others, take a closer look at yourself and the environment and start moulding your style to satisfy your own as an artist, not others. Do not compromise your artwork and do what you feel is right, follow your instinct and apply the techniques you learn from others and field comfortable to you.

Being yourself is the answer to the originality question. Become very familiar with your equipment and those techniques that best fit you. If what you are doing is been done by thousands before, you can still make it uniquely yours. Find your inner style and follow it.