How To Use the HISTOGRAM 📊

How To Use the HISTOGRAM 📊


How To Use the HISTOGRAM 📊

No more being scared of the Histogram! In our new photo theory video, we explain how to set up the histogram so it shows you exactly what you want ⚙️and demonstrate how it works.

How To Use the Tone Curve 📈:    • How To Use the Tone Curve 📈  

🔵🟢And if you don’t have ZPS X yet, download it here ➡️ https://www.zoner.com/en/download


Content

5.151 -> After this video, you'll never feel the need to avoid the histogram again.
15.745 -> Hi, everyone hope you do well. In this video we're gonna be going over what the
19.195 -> Histogram is, how to use it and how we can maximize it for our photo editing and
24.055 -> also in terms of our photo exposure and color balance. Let's go take a look.
29.095 -> Okay, so if you've been using Zoner Photo Studio X for some time,
32.275 -> you've probably noticed that the histogram is right up here on the top of the Manager,
38.035 -> Develop and Editor modules right up here on the right corner. And the histogram tells
43.435 -> us if our photo is either overexposed or underexposed, plus a lot
47.935 -> of other data that we can take advantage of.
50.395 -> We can think of the histogram as a type of sort of imaginary access,
54.535 -> with the darkest parts of the exposure on the left and the brightest parts on the right.
61.135 -> Now the vertical access tells us how many of these areas appear in the photo.
65.035 -> So, for example, we've got a really bright photo here with practically no dark areas,
69.895 -> so naturally the histogram is going to be rising mainly here on the right side,
74.215 -> and then in this other photo, it's going to be the exact opposite.
79.495 -> So in this case, where the photos exposure is fairly evenly distributed,
85.135 -> the graph is going to stretch across the entire length of the histogram.
89.035 -> So if we increase the exposure in this photo like this, we can see that the histogram moves
94.195 -> to the right and if we increase contrast, the graph stretches towards both ends and
100.375 -> rises at the ends. And this is because, by increasing contrast, we are essentially
105.715 -> widening the difference between the light and dark areas and
109.195 -> pushing up the highlights and shadows. For example, if you raise the black point here,
114.355 -> we can see that the graph compresses at the bright side, and this is telling
118.357 -> Zoner Photo Studio, where the darkest point in the photo is, and because we've set that
122.935 -> point high enough, we've created this gap right here in the histogram. And look out for these
127.315 -> gaps and avoid them completely if possible,
130.675 -> because what this gap is telling us is that we've squeezed the highlights as well as the
135.115 -> shadows together way too much and not only is this going to make you lose image data
140.635 -> for this part of the exposure, but it simply just doesn't look good.
145.315 -> Now if I play around with this some more, I can find that increasing the highlights
149.155 -> is going to raise the bright part of the graph and lowering the highlights is going
154.735 -> to naturally lower it. And it works the same way for the shadows only in the
159.835 -> opposite direction. And this is how we can use the histogram to tweak our photos,
163.675 -> exposure and even color balance. It now show you that in just a moment,
168.175 -> but first, let's take a look at how the histogram presents us with data and how we can
172.975 -> view it in a way that makes sense to us and is applicable to our situation.
177.115 -> Right click the histogram to open a dropdown menu.
180.175 -> I can choose how much of the right panel the histogram will take up,
183.415 -> and that is half full or even double the size. And in this video I want to show you so that you
189.655 -> can see the difference as best as possible. So let's select double size.
194.995 -> Normally I'm going to be using full size so I can see the histogram clearly,
199.315 -> but still have enough room for adjustments in the right panel.
202.735 -> Okay, so here at the bottom you can check or uncheck, blow out warning,
206.515 -> and this warning displays an exclamation mark at the top right.
209.755 -> If there are any blowouts in the photo, so basically means that the graph is spilling
215.035 -> off of the histogram and that there's a loss of data for the brightest parts of the photo.
220.615 -> By default, brightest and color channels are selected to show exposure and
225.835 -> all of the 3 color channels so RGB.
229.135 -> I can choose just one color channel so that they don't get mixed up,
231.835 -> and it's a lot easier to work with. So I have a choice of Brightness,
235.015 -> which only shows exposure, Colors which shows all of the color channels one
239.575 -> over the other like this, and then each color channel that makes up every color of the photo
246.235 -> so that's going to be Red, Green and Blues.
248.875 -> So let's select some of these to show how they work. Brightness speaks for itself.
253.615 -> It shows us how much highlights and shadows are in the photo, and since we already showed
257.875 -> how exposure makes the histogram move, let's move on to the color channels.
262.375 -> So I'm gonna demonstrate by using each color channel separately slot the graphs don't get
266.695 -> mixed up and it's much easier to read and understand. So, for example,
270.415 -> if I switch to Red channel, I can see how and where red shows up in my exposure
275.695 -> like this. And if I want to adjust it, I need to go down to the Tone curve and play
281.335 -> around with different color channels right here.
284.215 -> We've previously already gone over how to use the Tone curve,
286.795 -> and you can find a link to that video below in the description.
290.815 -> Here we can see that we have reds, mainly in the middle section,
294.115 -> so let's switch to the red channel in the Tone curve and using a point that's roughly in the
298.735 -> same place as in the histogram. Let's reduce the red. And I can see that the red
303.475 -> graph in the histogram, as well as the degree of the red in the photo changes.
308.215 -> As we already know from the tone curve video, taking away one color is going to add
311.935 -> to another, so we often need to adjust and compensate for the other colors as well.
317.215 -> And we can use this method to color balance the entire photo.
320.155 -> We just simply switch between each channel and the tone curve, as well as the histogram,
324.655 -> and then fine to them until we're happy with our product.
328.855 -> All right, so that's a little bit something about the histogram. Hopefully it is something
332.755 -> you can now take advantage of, and it's not just a scary graph in the top right
336.655 -> of your editor. If you want to learn more about something in Zoner Photo Studio X that's
341.815 -> troubling you and you guys would like to see or find out more about that subject,
345.655 -> please let us know in the comments. It's one way you can directly get to us and
349.615 -> we can directly get back to you. Give us a thumbs up, hit subscribe if you
353.815 -> haven't before, so let you never miss a video and I will see you in the next one.
358.075 -> Take care, Adios.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Man2xGSJNU