Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:22 pm Post subject: How To Gauge Brightness of A Picture?
Hello All,
I'm new to this forum and needed some assistance if possible.
If I have a picture that is a little dark and needs to be brighter/lightened, how can I gauge what brightness would work? I only ask because on my computer screen, it may appear perfect but when I look at the image on other another computer screen, it still seems a bit dark. Should I be going by the histogram to gauge the brightness?
Here is the picture I am talking about. It seemed bright on my monitor at home, but from a different monitor, it still seems dark:
Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 3987
Location: Cheltenham, UK
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 4:00 pm Post subject:
Welcome to the forum.
1- Do it by the numbers (Google will get you there)
2- Duplicate base image (habit), Add a threshold adjustment layer. Slide marker on 'histogram' to the left until only a few black pixels are present, mark that point/pixel/s with a colour sampler (I), do the same process but move the slider to the right and mark the white pixel the same as with the black.
Finding the grey point is slightly more complicated in addition to the above.
Add a 50% grey layer and position it below the threshold layer, set the layer blend mode to difference, switch to the threshold layer and move the slider back to the right, when a few white pixels remain, again use the colour sampler tool and mark that point. Discard both threshold adjustment layer and the 50% grey layer. Finally add a curves/levels adjustment layer and using the eyedropper tools select the relevant B&W & grey points.
That sounded complicated as I wrote it (I'm no tutor) but it's really the first operation inside PS when correcting photo's. Do that and further corrections become less intimidating.
All the above is available in online content and I don't doubt explained in understandable format. I have also posted a previous post in this forum, outlining the above (can't lay my hands on it readily).
If shouted at, I could make a screenshot capture series, but I really would rather not have to. _________________ If life serves you lemons, make lemonade!
Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 3987
Location: Cheltenham, UK
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 4:09 pm Post subject:
Your image has only morphed onto my screen after my posting (I took ages). It's going to be a silly question, but how do you want it to look? Without having a starting point you may never know. You need to calibrate your system (monitor and PC), details probably on these or other forums.
Above post will give you a start though. _________________ If life serves you lemons, make lemonade!
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