Contrast and compare

Question: How do you modify the contrast of an image?

Answer: There is no answer.

Well, technically, there is no single answer, as contrast is a subjective term, and it depends upon the characteristics of the image that you are working on at the time. There are several well-known algorithms for modifying contrast, yet most image editing programs implement just one. One algorithm cannot, and does not, work well across the range of images that it is typically faced with. So why stick to one?

We haven't. With Imagina you have not one, not two, but three.

First thing first, you have to get your image exposure range to cover the output range available to your screen. Some images can be underexposed and you'll need to correct this before you go any further. Using our "input brightness range" feature you can focus on the exposure range that your image has actually used, thus stretching the brightness levels used by your image all the way from the darkest to the lightest of colours - in effect increasing the contrast as you do so. That's the first and most important step covered.

Next thing up is to use our "image contrast" feature to pull brightness levels away from the centre and towards the darker and lighter ranges. This too increases contrast but in a different way, the same way in fact that Photoshop does, except we do it correctly for you and preserve colour saturation. This will affect the contrast of the image as a whole, just like the focusing feature, but there is a third way too.

Contrast across the image as a whole doesn't really bring out localised details in the image very well, but instead concentrates on getting the general balance of the image feeling right. To focus on detail, you need to use our "local contrast" feature that effectively accentuates (or reduces) the brightness differences between neighbouring pixels within a certain area. Now this is a very advanced feature that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else, and indeed we've never seen this feature used elsewhere before now.

Everything you could wish for, easy to use, on one simple screen.