Adjusting brightness and contrast: try it yourself

1. Recover Shadows

Lift shadows to reveal detail in dark areas.

2. Tame Highlights

Reduce highlights to restore sky or window detail.

3. Contrast for Pop

Increase contrast slowly and watch both the highlights and shadows. Stop before important detail is lost. More contrast can add separation, but it does not automatically improve every photograph.

4. Flat for Moody

Reduce contrast and compare the result with the original. Lower contrast can create a softer tonal range, but whether it feels atmospheric or simply flat depends on the photograph.

5. Before/After Toggle

Toggle between the edited and original versions at the same size. If the edit only looks better because it is more extreme, reduce it and compare again.