Is there much contrast in low-key lighting?

• A. No
• B. Yes
• C. Sometimes
• D. Unknown

Answer: (B)

Low-key lighting is designed to maximize tonal contrast between light and shadow. With a strong directional key light and little or no fill, shadows stay deep while the lit areas stay bright, creating a high light-to-dark ratio. This intentional separation gives the image a moody, dramatic look, so there is a lot of contrast. The other options don’t fit because no contrast describes high-key lighting, “sometimes” suggests inconsistency, and “unknown” isn’t appropriate since the concept is well defined.