Thoughts on lighting, exposing, and grading a moody scene the right way.
Low key lighting is one of the most cinematic looks you can create. It’s dramatic, it’s controlled, and when done right, it feels polished and deliberate. But it also requires a different approach to exposure, lighting placement, and colour grading compared to a bright, evenly lit setup.
In this video on my channel HarvVideoAudioStuff, I share my personal approach to lighting and exposing low key scenes, and how I think about grading them in post. If you’re working on a moody film, interview, or music video and want that intentional shadowy look, this breakdown should give you some solid starting points.
Let’s get into it.
Think About Light Placement, Not Just Intensity
With low key lighting, it’s not about throwing loads of light onto the scene. It’s about controlling where the light falls and, more importantly, where it doesn’t.
I often use a single soft light source placed off to the side or behind the subject, creating shape and contrast. Flags and negative fill are essential tools here. Cutting light is just as important as adding it. The goal is to let shadows do some of the storytelling.
Expose for the Look, Not the Histogram
When you’re shooting a low key scene, your exposure might look “wrong” on a waveform or histogram. That’s fine. You’re not going for bright, flat exposure — you’re going for mood.
That said, you still need to protect your shadows. I expose just enough to retain detail in the darkest parts of the image without crushing everything. A little noise is fine, especially if the scene feels natural. And depending on your camera, you might want to slightly overexpose and pull it down in post to keep your image clean.
Grading to Match the Mood
Colour grading ties it all together. For low key scenes, I like to lean into the shadows — not lift them too much in post, and instead enhance what’s already there.
Sometimes that means pushing certain tones down even further or cooling off the midtones for a colder feel. Other times I’ll warm up the highlights and let the background fade to black. The grade should feel like an extension of how you lit and exposed the shot.
Don’t Be Afraid to Let Things Fall Into Darkness
One of the most common mistakes is trying to bring everything up in the grade or fill every shadow with detail. Low key doesn’t mean underexposed, but it also doesn’t mean evenly lit.
Letting parts of the frame go completely dark can be powerful — it creates depth, guides the viewer’s eye, and adds mystery. Trust the shadows. They’re doing work.
Watch the Full Video
If you want to see all of this in practice, including lighting diagrams and grading breakdowns, watch the full video now:
Watch here: How To Light Low Key Video | Lighting, Exposure & Grading Tips
Subscribe here: HarvVideoAudioStuff
I also encourage you to drop a comment and share your own experience filming low key scenes. I always like seeing how other people approach this kind of look.
Final Thoughts
Low key lighting isn’t just about making things dark. It’s about intention, contrast, and controlling the frame. With the right lighting setup, exposure choices, and thoughtful grading, you can create images that feel cinematic and focused.
Check out the full video if you want a real-world example, and be sure to subscribe if you want more tips on lighting, audio and filmmaking.
Catch you in the next one,
Harv