Standard lighting balances key, fill, and back lights so shadows stay soft and readable. Low-key does the opposite — pull the fill almost entirely and let the side the key doesn't reach fall into real darkness.
The key-to-fill ratio spikes, and shadow can cover more than half the frame. Film noir, thrillers, and horror lean on this style because the shadow itself does the storytelling — it implies an unseen threat or a hidden emotion the light won't show.
On the web, a near-black background and one strong radial-gradient highlight hitting a subject from one side gets the impression across. Don't soften the shadow side into gray — low-key's tension comes from keeping it close to pure black.
When to use
Use it for tension, mystery, or a premium mood. It also works in product photography to carve out form by lighting just one side hard.