V1.02
Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D300
Page 269
Spike at the right (green pointers) and the entire histogram skewed
towards the right edge? Overexposed! Note the washed out colors in
the actual image.
• Most pixels skewed to the left of the histogram
. If a
significant number of pixel values exist at the very left
edge, it’s likely the shot is underexposed. Histograms that
are “left heavy” tend to have troublesome shadow detail.
If there is little or no exposure shown in the right side of
the histogram, you need to add more exposure to the shot.
Note that underexposed images are easier to recover
detail from than overexposed images.
Everything skewed left and lots of unused histogram space at the right?
Underexposed! Note the saturated colors, but also the lack of detail in
the dark areas.
• Pixels are scattered over the entire width of the histogram
.
The overall image is likely to be high in overall contrast.
Consider varying the lighting, if possible. While a broadly
scattered pattern in the histogram is fine, you might not be
satisfied with color saturation or contrast of the final
image. Consider adding fill lighting if you have lots of
