Beecher's Handouts /

Lighting Contrast / 6.6 - Film, Curves, & Paper

If you're a beginner, go on to the next page.

Contrast can be changed by modifying the recording media (film and digital) and printing media.

Film

Films have more or less contrast.

Use a low-contrast film with to reduce the contrast of a scene.

For example, if you're doing a portrait, use a film designed for portraiture. They often have reduced contrast.

Check the film descriptions on the manufacturer websites to find low and high-contrast films.

Also, Popular Photography & Imaging Magazine publishes a charts that describe the characteristics of many films.

83 Color Films Compared

28 B&W Films Compared

Curves

You can change the tone curves on your camera.

Check the instructions, and go to the menu to make changes depending on the lighting and subject matter.

You can download curves into your digital camera for different exposure situations.

Printing by a Lab

Have a custom print made.

A custom print is made by a person, not a machine.

The printer can modify the exposures in the dark and bright areas to improve the print, and he or she can use a paper with higher or lower contrast as well.

Printing By You, Option #1

If you're using a digital camera, take two photographs of the same scene:

First exposure	Optimum exposure for the dark areas
Second exposure	Optimum exposure for the bright areas

Then, use the blending feature on your image manipulation software to combine the two images.

There are also separate programs that you can use, such as Dynamic Range Increase (DRI).

Here's a tutorial on blending:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/blended_exposures.shtml

Printing By You, Option #2

Or, you can create a contrast mask using PhotoShop.

Here are two tutorials on contrast masking:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast_masking.shtml

http://www.devco.net/archives/2003/04/08/

contrast_masking.php

Printing By You, Option #3

You can also change the contrast with PhotoShop, or other image manipulation software, by changing the levels, curves, etc.