Color contrast in photography.

This article will outline a few simple ways you can adjust and enhance the color in your photos when you use editing tools.

There are many crucial elements in photography that contribute to your ability to create and compose great photos. Most of the time, the fine line between a good photo and a great photo happens in post-production — in other words, when it comes time to edit.

That’s where color contrast — knowing what it is and how to use it — can play an important role. Keep reading to learn more about this theory and how using it correctly can take your photos to new heights.

What is color contrast?

Color contrast is a term used in color theory that describes the difference between different color hues. Tonal contrast — a different type of contrast adjustment — describes the difference between the lightest and darkest tones in the image. Both types of contrast are needed for a balanced image and knowing how to adjust each during the editing process is very important for the overall photo quality.

Understanding color contrast often coincides with understanding complementary colors — the colors on opposing segments of the color wheel. Colors that are directly opposite of each other on the color wheel will offer maximum contrast.

How to adjust color contrast when editing images.

Editing color contrast in post-production is simple. When using a tool like Adobe Lightroom, there are a few different strategies you can use to alter your images.

• Use the contrast slider to experiment with various contrast levels.
• Select the color mixer tool to adjust individual colors by editing their hues, saturation, and luminance.
• Experiment with the tone curve (while this will alter your color contrast, it’s most effective for tonal contrast).

You’ll probably experiment with several tools to find the perfect color contrast balance for your image.

Unlock your image editing potential.

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