3.3

Chapter 16 An Overview of Image Adjustments 299
Likewise, images of bright scenes, such as snow or light reecting o the ocean, have a majority
of their peaks in the brighter side of the histogram.
Histograms can also depict contrast in an image. For example, this silhouette of the man in the
hammock in front of the sunset consists of a relatively even assortment of extreme bright and
dark tonal values with few midtones. In this case, the histogram is shaped like a valley with peaks
in both the dark and bright sides.
Likewise, histograms can also depict a lack of contrast in an image. For example, an image of
a rainbow in the fog lacks contrast. Without directional lighting, there aren’t any highlights or
shadows in the image. In this case, the peaks of the histogram are concentrated in the center
and do not come close to either the dark or bright sides.
About Making Adjustments Onscreen
Human eyes perceive color subjectively. It’s dicult to make objective changes to the colors in
an image because the brain is so advanced that it skews the perception of colors to make them
appear as natural as possible. For this reason, it is essential that you create the best possible work
environment for performing color adjustments. Such an environment excludes extraneous colors
that have the potential to throw o your eye.