For challenge number three of Emerge, we asked our challengers to create images using high key or low key techniques.

The use of high key and low key imagery is very common in the world of art and photography. Their popularity can probably be attributed to them being a relatively easy way to create a mood and elicit an emotional response from the viewer.

High key imagery tends to bring with it more positive emotions. Its bright, airy, clean look is a perfect way to convey joy and happiness.

On the other hand, low key images tend to have a more serious or dramatic mood and can even go as far as feeling dark and ominous.

Once more, we were not disappointed with the results, and the submission standard was extremely high.

Here as always, in no particular order, are our top 10 images for this challenge. Very well done to the photographers who created these fantastic images.

Charlotte & Craig 🐶 📸 ✨

Jannene Meyer | Jannene Meyer Photography

 We thought this low key shot had a great mood, lovely textures and the colours of the trunk really brought out the brown eyes of this dog.

Megan Purtell | Megan Purtell Photography

This is a really striking image. The dog has such a strong pose, it's beautifully framed and the low key mood is excellent.

Tiffany Wilson | Tiffany Wilson Pet Photography

Fantastic mood, beautiful colour palette and the quirky, slightly awkward pose of the dog really evoked that wild feeling of the location.

Nancy Paynter

Low key and warm, this is a wonderfully lit portrait that is simple but says a lot.

Pine McCabe | Pine and Eclipse Photography

There's so much texture in the background here, but it really helps tell you where the dog is and the tones really pull out the eye colour from those wonderfully rich blacks.

Jillian Turner | Gone To the Dogs Photography

This is a lovely soft high key shot, the tones are excellent with detail in the highlights. The sense of depth from the foreground blur really draws you in to the dog's expression.

Helen Green | Helen Green Photography

A fantastic low key images, wonderful posing and expression. Very nice colour palette and edit to really create mood in this shot.

Jeff Rooney | Hightail It Photography

The eyes go straight to the dog in this image, and the location is really interesting. The inclusion of the steps on the left adds interest to the images without it becoming distracting.

Chantal Levesque | Chantal Levesque Photo

Stunning light that really creates mood and evokes emotion. The breath is a lovely detail.

Blue Amrich | Beyond the Fence

This is a beautiful example of how you can use the weather to create a moody and emotive image. Here the fog plays a large part in helping the high key feel. The dog is posed beautifully, and well framed by the trees.

Emerge is the second series in our Unleashed Challenge courses and is made up of 12 challenges over 6 months. It’s open to anyone who has completed our first course in the series, Embark.

So much more than just a challenge, the Unleashed Challenges are an invaluable educational resource that will help you build up a go-to list of shots to help create variety in your work. Designed for anyone to be able to complete whether you just want to photograph your own dog or you are a professional pet photographer.

If you'd like to know more head over here to register your interest and we'll send you all the details when enrolment for Embark next opens in April 2023.