Photography 101 - Understanding Contrast
When learning photography, you'll discover there are lots of different elements that make an photograph appear the way it does. Exposure, film speed, camera quality, framing and printing method all have an impact on the quality of your final print. Contrast is one of the most important and easily manipulated elements of a photograph and, when used properly, can take your images to a whole new level.
Contrast is simply the difference between the darks and light in your photographs. In terms or black and white photography, high contrast prints have very dark black and super bright whites with no shades in between, while low contrast images will have more grey. In color photos, contrast is used to describe the color intensity and how the colors stand out in relation to each other. While there's no "perfect" level of contrast, a good rule of thumb is to try and create images that have pure black, pure white, and every shade in between. However, this is more challenging than it sounds!
Contrast in Action
As a photographer, you'll probably find a set amount of contrast that works for you. Some prefer high contrast, some prefer low, but remember that it's all about what works for you. As long as your images convey the message you want to pass on, no one is going to call you on the phone and tell you to change your photographs around.
If you want to see some examples of excellent normal contrast just look at the work by Ansel Adams. His landscape photographs in black and white cover every base possible in terms of greys, blacks, and whites, and are quite powerful because of it. As an example of high contrast, films like Sin City and The Spirit used high contrast imagery to tell their story.
Adjusting Contrast
There are several ways you can adjust the contrast of your photograph. Different types of film or digital camera settings will give your pictures different amounts of contrast. For example, slide film has a high contrast ratio compared to regular film. You can also "push" your film while developing it by allowing it to soak in the developer longer than recommended - the longer it sits, the higher your contrast will be. Be careful that you don't over-develop your film because, unlike prints, it can't be redone once you develop it.
In the darkroom, you can put a filter on your enlarger to change the contrast of your prints. A #1 filter will be a slight contrast increase, whereas a #4 filter will significantly increase the contrast level in your print. If you're using a digital camera, most photo editing software has a built in contrast option that will let you mimic the changes you could make in the darkroom. Contrast is infinite in the options it can provide so take it to the limit and then take it one more step just to see what happens.
Contrast can control the focal point of an image, as in where your viewers look. It can help further define important parts of your photograph as well as create a higher quality image when done properly. Use the "pure white, pure black" rule in every picture and you'll see a huge difference in the prints you will produce. Once you figure out what level of contrast works, you'll begin to see contrast in the real world and be better prepared to shoot it. As always, the best way to get better is to keep practicing!
Contrast is simply the difference between the darks and light in your photographs. In terms or black and white photography, high contrast prints have very dark black and super bright whites with no shades in between, while low contrast images will have more grey. In color photos, contrast is used to describe the color intensity and how the colors stand out in relation to each other. While there's no "perfect" level of contrast, a good rule of thumb is to try and create images that have pure black, pure white, and every shade in between. However, this is more challenging than it sounds!
Contrast in Action
As a photographer, you'll probably find a set amount of contrast that works for you. Some prefer high contrast, some prefer low, but remember that it's all about what works for you. As long as your images convey the message you want to pass on, no one is going to call you on the phone and tell you to change your photographs around.
If you want to see some examples of excellent normal contrast just look at the work by Ansel Adams. His landscape photographs in black and white cover every base possible in terms of greys, blacks, and whites, and are quite powerful because of it. As an example of high contrast, films like Sin City and The Spirit used high contrast imagery to tell their story.
Adjusting Contrast
There are several ways you can adjust the contrast of your photograph. Different types of film or digital camera settings will give your pictures different amounts of contrast. For example, slide film has a high contrast ratio compared to regular film. You can also "push" your film while developing it by allowing it to soak in the developer longer than recommended - the longer it sits, the higher your contrast will be. Be careful that you don't over-develop your film because, unlike prints, it can't be redone once you develop it.
In the darkroom, you can put a filter on your enlarger to change the contrast of your prints. A #1 filter will be a slight contrast increase, whereas a #4 filter will significantly increase the contrast level in your print. If you're using a digital camera, most photo editing software has a built in contrast option that will let you mimic the changes you could make in the darkroom. Contrast is infinite in the options it can provide so take it to the limit and then take it one more step just to see what happens.
Contrast can control the focal point of an image, as in where your viewers look. It can help further define important parts of your photograph as well as create a higher quality image when done properly. Use the "pure white, pure black" rule in every picture and you'll see a huge difference in the prints you will produce. Once you figure out what level of contrast works, you'll begin to see contrast in the real world and be better prepared to shoot it. As always, the best way to get better is to keep practicing!
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