11

CHAPTER
NIGHT AND LOW-LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY / Digital Postproduction

Brightness slider that can be set from –150 to

+150, and a Contrast slider that can be set

from –50 to +100. Just adjust the sliders until

the image looks the way you want.

    ■   Levels. The levels adjustment can easily make

your image look better by adjusting the

shadow values, the middle values, and the

highlight values for any or all of the color

channels. As you will see when you open the

Levels window, there is a graph of the tones

in your image with the shadow on the left and

the highlight on the right (Figure 11-12).

Under the graph are three little arrows; the

one on the left represents the dark values, the

■   Shadows / Highlights. This color adjustment

allows you to lighten the shadows, darken the
highlights, and/or adjust the midtone con-
trast. The Lighten Shadow slider lightens up
the shadow areas in your image and reveals
the details that might be hidden if the shad-
ows are too dark. The Darken Highlights
slider reveals detail in the lightest parts of
the image. Adjusting the midtone contrast
changes the way the midtones in your
image look.

■   Brightness / Contrast. These are two simple

controls that can really help you adjust the
look of your image. There are two sliders: a

ABOUT THIS FIGURE
The Levels adjustment window
showing the tonal range of the
image.

11-12