How Do You Read a Histogram?

Reading the Shape

UnderexposedMid tonesOverexposed
  • Piled up on the left: underexposed. Climbing up the right: overexposed.
  • The red bar means the pile hit the wall. Past the wall, there’s no detail left to save.
  • You’ll hear this called “blown highlights” or “clipped.” Once that data is gone, no editing tool brings it back.
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