Photography Basics - Understanding Contrast

Many individual elements make up the appearance of an image. The final product is determined by framing, exposure, film speed, camera quality and printing method. One of the most important elements of a photograph is contrast. Contrast can be easily manipulated. The difference between a good picture and a great picture is the proper use of contrast.

Contrast, as you may or may not know, is the difference between light and dark in your image. High contrast in images means the white areas are very bright and the black areas are extremely dark and there is very little “gray” area. Low contrast allows for more gray tones making the image appear less distinct. Contrast in color photographs is described by the striking color intensity and how they appear in relation to each other. You are probably wondering, then, what is the perfect level of contrast for your image? The answer to that is - there is no perfect level of contrast. A good rule of thumb is to create images that have pure white, pure black and every shade in between, which is not always an easy thing to do.

Contrast and Personal Preference

As a photographer you probably have, or will, hit upon a contrast that you prefer. And, that is great because whether it is high contrast or low contrast, the best contrast is what works for you. Photography is a personal means of conveying a message so whatever works for you conveys your own unique message.

An excellent example of normal contrast in photography is the work of Ansel Adams. His black and white landscape photographs contain every shade possible from grays to blacks to whites. His work is very powerful, and beautiful, because of his excellent use of contrast.

Changing the Contrast in Your Photos

Higher or lower contrast results from different kinds of film or digital settings used. Regular film has a low contrast ratio compared to slide film. If you develop your own images, you can achieve higher contrast by allowing a longer than recommended soaking time in the developer. Be very careful not to over-develop your film. The actual shot film is irreplaceable and, if ruined, can’t be repaired.

The contrast can be manipulated in the darkroom by applying a filter to your enlarger. A #4 filter dramatically increases the level of contrast for the final image, while a #1 filter will have a minimal effect in the contrast of the final image. For digital, most photo editing software has a built in contrast option. This software mimics darkroom filters allowing you to get similar results.

Contrast is an important element in controlling the focal point of an image. The right level of contrast can define important parts of your picture and produce a much better final picture. If you want improvement in the images you take, practice the “pure black, pure white” rule at every opportunity. There are so many options when it comes to contrast. Have fun and experiment with it. You may be pleasantly surprised with your results. As with learning any technique, practice makes perfect, so practice whenever possible and go out and take lots of pictures!