Last updated on
Jan 4, 2022
Contrast
The difference in brightness between light and dark areas of an image. Contrast determines the number of shades in the image.
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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.