The document discusses contrast in images and how it is affected by lighting conditions. It explains that cameras cannot capture the same wide range of tones that the human eye sees. Around noon, light is very contrasty while mornings and evenings have softer, less contrasty light due to atmospheric diffusion. Overcast days also produce low-contrast images. Shooting directly into or toward the sun can reduce contrast and cause lens flare. Photographing in early morning or late afternoon, moving subjects into shadows, and avoiding direct sunlight can help achieve better contrast.

1. Contrast
The difference between light
and dark areas in an image.

2. Camera vs. your eye?
The camera cannot capture near the
range of tones that the human eye can.
That’s why we need to be aware of
what tones it is able to capture.

3. High Contrast
A large range
of tones.
Very dark
blacks and
bright whites.

4. Low Contrast
A small range
of tones.
Very gray, flat,
muddy.

5. It’s all in the timing
Around noon on a sunny day, the light
is very contrasty, direct, and harsh.
Around sunrise/sunset, light is less
contrasty, because it’s diffused by more
atmosphere (not to mention longer shadows to
create more depth in your images.)

6. Cloudy Days...
Overcast skies produce less contrast,
because the sunlight is very diffused.
This can be good for shooting
portraits, but not so good for
landscapes.

7. Don’t look at the sun!
Shooting directly
into the sun will kill
your contrast and
confuse the light
meter in your
camera.

8. Bad Flare...
Shooting toward the sun can also
cause lens flare!

9. What can I do about it?
We can’t change the sun or the clouds.
We can photograph early or late in the
day if the sunlight is too harsh.
We can move our subject out of direct
sun and into shadows (besides helping get the
contrast down, it’ll keep your subject from squinting so much.)

10. Too contrasty

11. Better...

13. Now let’s go take
some great pictures!