How much contrast to use?

photovis

• 2005年10月14日 21:05

I am using Capture Pro 3.7.2 on a Mac G5 Dual 2.0 ghz computer running Tiger. Camera of choice-NikonD2x, D2h or D1x. My question is how much contrast should I be adding when processing my images?

I know that many will say add contrast until it looks good. I am looking for more of a analytical method, if there is one.

I am a wedding photographer, so many of my images are shot with on camera flash. For most of my images I seem to add +5 to +10 cc (contrast) and in Levels, +8 to the shadows. Are these readings similiar for other Capture One Pro users?

I know that adjusting contrast will change the histogram. But I always have a hard time trying to understand a histogram and it's effect on the final RAW image.

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  faeyer

  • 2005年10月19日 12:36

  > I know that many will say add contrast until it looks good.
  > I am looking for more of a analytical method, if there is one.
  
  Trust your eyes and you can also play with the film curve (Film Standard, Film Shadow Detail, Film High Contrast, Linear Response). I don't think that there's an automatic do-it-all setting.
  
  > I am a wedding photographer, so many of my images are
  > shot with on camera flash. For most of my images I seem
  > to add +5 to +10 cc (contrast) and in Levels, +8 to the
  > shadows. Are these readings similiar for other
  > Capture One Pro users?
  
  Your settings seem very reasonable but I'm shooting Canon and have only little experience with D2Xs. If you need to push the sliders too far to get good images, then you have a problem. Adding +5 or +10 to contrast is well within the \"normal\" values.
  
  >I know that adjusting contrast will change the histogram.
  
  You're changing your image so the histogram changes accordingly (read below).
  
  > But I always have a hard time trying to understand a
  > histogram and it's effect on the final RAW image.
  
  The histogram has no effect on the image! The histogram is a statistical representation of an image. If you modify your image in any way (contrast, white balance, exposure compensation, sharpening, noise reduction, rotation, etc), then your histogram will be modified.
  
  Need more help?
  
  Faeyer

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  David Mantripp

  • 2005年11月14日 21:40

  I'd second the \"it's right when it looks right\" approach.
  
  I've found in the last few months that the contrast slider is maybe the most powerful tool in the image adjustments toolbox, but \"handle with care\" is the key.
  
  Incidentally, is there any information anywhere on what the film curves do, exactly ? If I select \"Extra shadow\", and then bump up the contrast, am I canceling out the two ?

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