Posted on 02/14/2012 09:34 AM Paint Shop Pro X4 provides ways to adjust the brightness as well as the contrast in your images, which creates differences between light and dark pixels in an image. By applying commands to a selection or the entire image, you can do the following:

manually determine the brightness and contrast;

setting individual brightness in the image;

detection of highlights (75% tint), midtones (50% tint), and shadows (25% tint) to ensure smooth transitions between them;

distribute pixel brightness values ​​more evenly from black to white;

increase in overall contrast when the histogram does not cover the entire spectrum of brightness;

determine the settings for brightness, contrast and gamma in the image;

creating a pure black and white image.

7.3.1. Adjusting Highlights, Midtones, and Darkness in an Image

The command Adjust → Brightness and Contrast→ Highlight/Midtone/Shadow(Adjust → Brightness & Contrast → Highlights/Midtones/Shadows). After executing this command, a dialog box opens. Highlight/Midtone/Shadow(Highlights/Midtones/Shadows) (Fig. 245).

If nothing is selected on the image, then the adjustment is carried out for the entire image.

Rice. 245. Image tone adjustment

Parameters Shadow(Shadow), mid tone(Intermediate tone) and highlight(Highlight) define values ​​for shadows, midtones, and highlights in the selection, and if nothing is selected in the image, then for the entire image. The numerical values ​​in these parameters depend on the selected position of the switch located below these parameters.

The switch at the bottom of the dialog box can take the following positions:

absolute adjustmentmethod(Absolute Adjustment Method) - Sets the positions to 25% for shadows, 50% for midtones, and 75% for highlights. Typical values ​​are around 35 for shadows, 50 for midtones, and 65 for highlights, but these may vary depending on individual photographs. Increasing values ​​brighten the area, while decreasing values ​​darken it.

Relative adjustmentmethod(Relative adjustment method) - adjusts brightness levels relative to their initial states. Positive values ​​brighten the area, while negative values ​​darken it.

7.3.2. Installation histogram

The tone histogram allows you to analyze the tonal range of an image and redistribute the balance of shadows, midtones, and highlights.

To correct tones in an image or selection, execute the command Adjust → Brightness and Contrast→ Histogram adjustment(Adjust → Brightness and Contrast → Histogram Correction). After executing this command, a dialog box opens. Histogram adjustment(Histogram Adjustment) (Fig. 246).

Rice. 246. Adjusting the histogram

Switch Edit(Change) determines the type of histogram being edited:

Luminance(Lightness) - allows you to edit the histogram based on the brightness of the image;

color(Colors) - allows you to edit the histogram based on one of the image's color channels. After selecting this switch position, a list becomes available to the right of this position, in which you need to select a color channel based on which the active image will be edited.

Listed Presets(Parameters) offers ready-made adjustment options. When you select any of them, the radio button Edit(Change) is automatically reset to the position Luminance(Illumination). Preset value Default(Default) does not represent any additional installations in the image.

In the parameters located below the graph, you can change the values, both using absolute values ​​and using relative (percentage) values.

Slider low(Low) starts on the left side of the histogram, located between the left edge of the graph and the point where the curve begins to rise. This gap indicates that the dark pixels in the image are not completely black. This parameter displays the percentage of pixels that are between zero and a low value - their contrast will be lost. As a general rule, set the low value to less than 0.1%. This parameter can also be adjusted using the dark gray slider.

Slider high(High) starts at the right side of the histogram, located between the right edge of the graph and the point where the graph shrinks to zero pixels. This option changes the light pixels in the image to white. As general rules, set this parameter to less than 0.1%. This parameter can also be adjusted using the white slider.

Slider Gamma(Gamma) - If the overall image is too dark or too light, then you need to adjust the gamma, which is a standard measure of how contrast changes in images. If the image is too dark, then move the slider Gamma(gray triangle) to the right to increase gamma. If the image is too light, then move the slider Gamma to the left to decrease the gamma setting.

Slider Midtones(Midtones) (on the right side of the window) - if the graph has peaks on the left and right, or contains low values ​​in the center, then the midtones must be compressed. Shadows and highlights need to be expanded to show the information they contain. This often happens in flash photography when the subject is too close to the camera; The subject appears brightly lit, but the background of the photograph is created dark. To compress the midtones, move the vertical slider Midtones. If the peaks of the graph are in the center and have low pixel counts on the left and right sides, then expand the midtones by moving the slider Midtones down.

If you are creating artistic effects, you can use the controls outputmax(output max) () and output min(Output min) () to the left of the histogram. engine Max is a white circle on a gray background, and the engine Min is a black circle on a gray background. In order to darken the light pixels in the image, you need to move the slider Max down. In order to lighten the dark pixels in the image, you need to move the slider Min up.

Even if the sliders move along the vertical axis, the parameters Max and Min(range 0 to 255) affect the horizontal axis. All pixels outside the range are converted to be within the range.

If you just want to improve your image, then this option should not be used.

Triangular buttons below the slider Gamma(Gamma) determines the scale of the histogram and nothing else. The left button zooms in and the right button zooms out the histogram. Button 1:1 sets 100% histogram scale.

You will need

• - a computer with the ability to connect a camera to it
• - program Microsoft Office Picture Manager from the Microsoft Office suite
• Optionally:
• - Paint.NET program or any other graphics editor

Instruction

In any way known and accessible to you, transfer the necessary photo / picture to your computer and save it anywhere on your hard drive.
To increase the brightness of the picture, use one of the two methods below.

Method One. You will need the Microsoft Office Picture Manager program from the Microsoft Office software package.
1. Open the desired picture in this program. This can be done by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Open With...".
Tip: If Microsoft Office Picture Manager is the default viewer graphic files, it will be enough just to double-click on the picture to open it in the desired program.
2. Find the "Change Picture" icon on the toolbar or select the menu item Picture - Brightness and Contrast ...
The settings area will open on the right.
3. Use the "Select brightness" button to make the program select optimal settings. If the result does not suit you, then the action can be canceled with the corresponding button.
Adjust the brightness of the picture, bringing it to the optimal level, in your opinion, using five different sliders. The Microsoft Office Picture Manager program allows you to both increase / decrease the brightness and contrast of the picture as a whole, and adjust these parameters separately for light or dark parts of the picture.

Method Two. You will need any graphics editor. For instance, free program Paint.NET, the possibilities of which are wide enough.
1. Open the desired picture in this program. This can be done by selecting the "Open ..." item in the program from the "File" menu or simply by dragging the file from the folder into the program with the mouse.
2. You can edit the overall brightness of the picture using this program in several ways at once. Select one of the following items from the Adjustments menu:
- Brightness/Contrast. Here you can increase the overall brightness of the picture.
- Hue/Saturation. The item "Brightness" in this submenu makes the picture lighter in general.
- Auto levels. Perhaps the program will be able to improve your picture on its own, and you will be satisfied with the result.
- Curves. This section of the menu is intended for more experienced users and allows you to make significant adjustments to the illumination / shading of a picture or photo. You can try to figure out the settings yourself.
Tip: You can apply several of the above at the same time to achieve the desired effect.

The commands in this menu are designed to correct the color of an image in various ways.

The following image will be used to illustrate the various adjustments available in this menu:

Auto leveling
This command is used to automatically adjust the color of an image. As a result of its application, images that are too dark or too light are brought to a normal level. The result is equivalent to pressing the "Auto Level" button in the " " command dialog of this menu.

After using this command, which has no configuration options, our image will look like this:

After applying "Auto leveling"

Invert Colors
The effect of this command is very similar to taking a photograph negative. Applying it again will return the original image.

Our image after color inversion:

After applying "Invert Colors"

Roughening…
This adjustment allows you to reduce the number of allowed image color values. Usually, each color channel has 256 possible values ​​(from 0 to 255), but with this command you can limit this range from 2 to 64. This allows you to "posterize" the image, give it a "retro" or "false dither" look .

Original image after coarsening:

After applying "Coarse…"

Hue and saturation...
This operation can be used to change the hue and saturation of an image. Additionally, in the command's settings window, you can adjust the "lightness", which is similar, but not the same as brightness.

Here's what our image will look like after applying this command, with Hue set to 88 and Saturation set to 158:

After applying "Hue and Saturation..."

Make black and white
This adjustment removes all colors, making the layer black and white.

Original image after color removal:

After applying "Make Black and White"

Sepia
This adjustment converts the image to black and white and then adds a sepia tone. This can be used to give your image a nostalgic look.

The original image after applying the Sepia command:

After applying "Sepia"

Levels…
This operation is used to adjust the color range and gamma of the image. For more information see

We constantly take pictures - our children, relatives and friends, nature, pets. Sometimes the quality of our photos does not quite suit us, and sometimes it just upsets us. Therefore, the question - how to improve the quality of photography is by no means idle, but very relevant.

Corel Photo-Paint has a wonderful plug-in - simple and intuitive - Image Adjustment Lab.

This plugin transforms a photo.

In this tutorial we will improve the quality of our original photo. Let's make it more contrasting, saturated.

Let's prepare our photo for further graphic work with it. For example, in order to insert your photo into finished frame sample.

So. Let's open the Corel Photo-Paint program, starting with version X3. Let's open our photo that we want to improve.

On the Menu Bar we find the command - Settings.

And then in the open tab, select this plugin - Image Adjustment Lab.

Here's what we'll see:

In the viewport we have two photos - one - Initial, the other - Working view- it will show the results of our color correction.

Let's analyze in detail top panel in the laboratory window.

1. Rotate photo 90 degrees counterclockwise.

2. Rotate photo 90 degrees clockwise.

3. Panorama allows move the image in the Source Photo window.

4. Enlarge photo- or from the keyboard - F2

5. Reduce photo or from the keyboard - F3

6. Photo display fit to original window or F4.

7. True 100% display Photo.

8. One View Window– Working view. There is no home window in this variant.

9. View in two windows– original photo and working preview.

10. Split View - in one window Source photo and Working view. You can move the image separation line arbitrarily.

Let's go back to our original image.

We pressed the button - Take Snapshot and Auto Adjust.

Let's analyze in detail operating buttons in the Lab window:

1. Take a snapshot. Be sure to release this button before editing to save the initial version of the photo, and then release it every time we make some noticeable changes to the photo.

2. Auto tuning. Corrects the color and tone of an image using standard automatic functions.

3. Reset to the original state. There are times when the result from Auto Adjust does not suit us, or we did not save the original photo, and the final result is not satisfactory.

4. Tab - Saved options appears after we press the button - Create Snapshot. Here are the thumbnails of the image that we are editing and saving.

Click on any thumbnail and the selected image will appear in the Working Preview window.

Why do we need to save different editing options?

To select the most appropriate image option.

Summarize. Often, the quality of a photo can be improved by using Auto settings.

What if you want more?

Now consider the right tab in the Labs window.

Here we can manually adjust changes in color, tone, saturation, brightness, and other parameters that improve the photo.

Just move the slider in the parameters column. And the result will immediately be displayed in the Working View window.

Often, some stylized photographs are required for the composition.

If our image requires a certain color tone, then we can add new colors to it or, conversely, reduce and muffle the colors.

We will first reduce - Saturation. Move the slider to the left.

Then we move a little Temperature slider towards orange.

Let's add brightness and contrast to the photo. Let's move the sliders a little to the right side.

And we constantly see and control changes in the photo in the Working View window.

Slightly increase intermediate tones.

Let's keep this option.

In the other two options, we can experiment with different color tones.

On Axis - Hue- first move the slider to the left to pink.

We get a photo in pale purple tones. Save this option - button - Create snapshot.

And in this case, the runner Hue we have gone far to the right. We will also keep this style of photography.

The next option is almost bleached, but not to a gray tone, but rather in a sepia style. We save.

Here we still return to our version, which we received from Auto settings.

Just click on the thumbnail, which we have second in a row after the saved source.

A little add this version of the photo brightness, contrast.
temperature and saturation subtract a little.

Now we can select photo option which suits us the most. Open the thumbnails and look in the Working Preview window.

When we press the button - OK, then we will save the image that is in the Working View window.

After this practical lesson, you will feel free to choose the right brightness and tone for your photo.

often see nice photos, informative, clear, beautiful, but ..... with a gray background! Those. I understand that they photographed on white, but the photo is gray! The white background shows the work much better. So I decided to make MK for people like me - people who are not capable of mastering Photoshop, but want to upload beautiful photos.

(No Photoshop tutorials needed, please! For the 3rd year I have been periodically trying to learn how to work with it, but it turns out that I can do something only by constantly looking at the MK and online FS manuals, and when you need to process 10-20-30 photos, this is unrealistic - you will have to sit for a week, because if I don't look into the step-by-step MK for FS, I start to get lost )

So, I photograph 50/50: under the light from the window at the brightest time or under the lamp, which I adjust so that it gives a uniform light on the photographed surface. In 90% of cases, for photo processing, I have enough of those techniques that are shown in this MK.

This tutorial shows how to improve photographs in which objects are located on a white background or the photographed objects themselves have large "spots" of white.

On each computer where the package is installed office programs Microsoft Office, there is a photo processing program Microsoft Office Picture Manager. (Note - in the version for Win. 7 the program is called "Picture Manager")

1) Open the photo by clicking right click mice by photo via Microsoft program Office Picture Manager.

2) In the window that appears with the photo at the top, click on the button that says "change picture"

3) A menu with photo editing options appears on the left

4) in this menu, click on the inscription "color"

5) in the opened submenu there is a button "improve colors" - just press it

6) After pressing this button, when you hover the mouse over the photo, instead of an arrow, we see a "sight". This is the whole salt of processing!

7) On the background (or on the product itself - on its white part), select the brightest place - i.e. the point where visually the light source gives the most of this very light. Point our "sight" to this area and click. The program automatically equalizes the white balance so that at this point inside the sight the color becomes pure white and, accordingly, automatically equalizes the colors on the entire photo, adjusting them to new conditions - this is the most "lightened" area.

8) If we don't have enough lightening and want to lighten up some more, select the area next to the whitest one (ie, slightly noticeably off-white) and click on it with the crosshair. The photo is brightened up a little more.

8) If you aimed the sight somewhere in the wrong place and the result did not suit you, you can always press either the "back" arrow (signed "1" in the photo) or select Edit - Cancel in the top menu.

For 5-6, maximum 8 "pokes" I always manage to get quite decent White background. This process takes about 3-4 minutes at most. If everything suits us in the resulting clarified photo, press the return button in the left menu (marked "2" in the photo)

10) After cropping, click "ok". If you cropped too much or just want to "re-crop" - the "back" arrow or Edit - Undo will return the photo to the "uncropped" view.

Here, for example, how the photo looks before and after such processing, which took me 3 minutes of time:

I hope this MK will help to make photos of their work for those who do not own FS more pleasing to the eye of our customers.

P.S. - the rest of the photo editing features in this program are pretty bad, so besides the features shown in MK, the rest is not even worth trying.