How far can you blow out a scene before losing the subject? Wildlife photographer breaks down the high-key technique behind his stunning series of Japanese red-crowned cranes

Somdutt Prasad, a multi-award-winning wildlife photographer based in Kolkata, India, has created a stunning series of photographs featuring Japanese red-crowned cranes. The images showcase the cranes in a high-key, monochrome aesthetic, capturing their dark plumage and red crowns against a snowy backdrop. Prasad chose this artistic direction to align with the cranes' folklore and cultural significance in Japan, rather than simply documenting them as a typical wildlife subject.

The photographer explained that he meticulously planned his visit to Hokkaido, northern Japan, in January during the coldest period, to capture the heaviest snow cover. He prioritized shooting in the morning, taking advantage of fog rising from warmer areas of marshland to compress the tonal range and separate the cranes from their surroundings.

To achieve the high-key effect, Prasad increased the exposure deliberately, using a Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z9 with lenses such as the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S and Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S.

During post-production in Photoshop, Prasad refined the images by carefully masking the birds and their surroundings, protecting the highlights, and creating negative space. He masked the birds' bodies, sparing their necks and red crowns, and desaturated the body plumage. This controlled, conscious editing process allowed Prasad to strip the scene down to its essentials while still depicting the cranes in an interesting way.