Contrast

The difference in brightness between light and dark areas of an image. Contrast determines the number of shades in the image.

A low-contrast image (left) retains detail, but tends to lack dimension and look soft. An image with normal contrast (center) retains detail and dimension, and looks crisp. A high-contrast image (right) loses detail, especially in areas with gradated tones, and can look cartoony or posterized.