Introduction

In this video from our Lightroom 4 A to Z Workshop on DVD, we will hash out the improvements Lightroom 4 has made on the histogram since Lightroom iii. The histogram in Lightroom iv now shows you an image's different ranges, which includes the exposure, highlights, whites, shadows, and blacks respective to the Basic Panel sliders. The histogram is actually quite a useful tool, yet many people exercise non have a firm grasp on the concept of a histogram. This commodity will hopefully give you a better agreement of what a histogram is and how the histogram is a useful tool within Lightroom 4.

To acquire more, exist sure to bank check out the Lightroom 4 A to Z Workshop, which is also a part of the Lightroom 4 Workshop Collection.

Sentinel the Video

What is a Histogram?

A histogram tin can tell the states a lot about an image, but simply if we empathize how to read the histogram! A histogram is a graph that displays the amount of blacks, shadows, exposure, highlights, and whites in an image (in improver to the color information). In other words, the histogram displays your image's tonal range in the course of a visual graph. By looking at the histogram of an image, y'all can easily come across potential problem areas within an image. We are constantly using the in-camera histogram to estimate and measure exposure, particularly when we are trying to maximize particular in our exposure.

To access your histogram, go to the Develop Module past hit "D." Although you can besides see the histogram in the Library Module, the histogram has more functionality in the Develop Module. Still, regardless of whether you lot are in the Library Module or the Develop Module, the ane thing that remains the same is the epitome information below the histogram, which shows how the epitome was shot. The Histogram Panel can exist institute on the correct side of Lightroom. To expand and close the Histogram Console, only hitting "Ctrl + 0." Every bit you tin can encounter below, we are in the Develop Module, and the Histogram Panel is on the right side. You lot can too meet the prototype information straight below the histogram.

01_histogram-panel-develop-module

As mentioned before, the ranges of the histogram from left to right display the blacks, shadows, exposure, highlights, and whites.

Unlike in Lightroom three, Exposure now primarily controls the mid-tones within our histogram. From the Histogram, you tin really adjust the Exposure by holding down your mouse over the mid-tones and moving left to make the image darker, or moving right to make the paradigm brighter. However, we recommend avoiding adjusting the Exposure through the Histogram Console every bit it can be rather imprecise.

02_histogram-panel-exposure-range-slider

To the left of Exposure, you have your Shadows range. Shadows are tones betwixt mid-tones and blacks as shown below.

03_histogram-shadows-range

To the left of Shadows, you have your Blacks range. Blacks are our deepest shadows in our epitome, and if we have likewise much Blackness tones, we end up with loss of detail in the shadows.

04_histogram-blacks-range

Going back to the Exposure mid-tones, to the correct, you lot have your Highlights range, which are the upper-mid tones in your images.

05_histogram-highlights-range

Then, to the right of Highlights, y'all have your Whites range. Like to Blacks, if your Whites are too high, highlight areas volition be blown out losing all detail.

06_histogram-whites-range

How is a Histogram Useful?

First, from the Histogram nosotros tin can quickly identify clipped shadows and blown highlights. At the top of our Histogram, y'all will see two arrows on the left and right side. The left pointer will reveal Shadow Clipping, while the correct arrow will reveal Highlight Clipping.

07_histogram-show-shadow-clipping

08_histogram-show-highlight-clipping

When you mouse over these arrows, Lightroom will show you lot where in your prototype you have clipped shadows or blown highlights.

Shadow Clipping will appear in your prototype equally bluish, as you tin can encounter in the prototype below. This means that there is a complete loss in detail in those shadows.
09_show-shadow-clipping-age
Blown highlights where there is consummate loss of detail in the highlights will appear in crimson, equally shown in the image below.
10_show-highlight-clipping-image

If you desire to see both clipped shadows and blown highlights in your image at the same time, a quick shortcut is to simply hit "J" to turn on the Shadow/Highlight Alarm. This shortcut is only available through the Develop Module. To turn off, just hit "J" over again. Equally you lot can see in the epitome below, detail has been lost in both the shadows and the highlights.

11_show-clipping-image

A histogram is also useful because we can quickly tell if an image is overexposed or underexposed without really looking at the paradigm. If the levels in the histogram are pulled up against the left, the prototype is underexposed since the amount of shadows and blacks are high. If the levels in the histogram are pulled confronting the right, the image is overexposed. The amount of highlights and whites volition be very high and may even be blown out in certain areas of the paradigm.

Improvements in Lightroom iv

While the Histogram displays the same information as it did in Lightroom three, Lightroom 4 has made much ameliorate use of the Histogram with the changes made in Process Version 2012. With Procedure 2012, we at present have respective Basic Console sliders that match up to each tonal range on the histogram.

When your mouse is hovered over the histogram, Lightroom iv will highlight and display the range that will be affected in the paradigm highlighting the slider in the Bones Panel as well. This also works the other way effectually. When you hover over the slider in the Basic Console, the range in the Histogram Panel will be highlighted as shown in the example beneath.

12_histogram-panel-exposure-basic-panel

With Process 2012 and the new Histogram, we take much more precise control over tonal ranges within our prototype.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has given you a amend agreement of what a histogram is and how it is a useful product and post-product tool.

We hope yous enjoyed this article and video excerpt from the Lightroom 4 A to Z Workshop on DVD. Stay tuned for our next article and episode!

The Lightroom 4 A to Z Workshop on DVD is a xiv 60 minutes video workshop turning any Lightroom novice into a complete primary of Lightroom 4 in no time! The Lightroom iv A to Z Workshop can be purchased by itself, or within the Lightroom 4 Workshop Collection which as well contains our accolade winning and industry standard Lightroom 4 Preset System, as well as the Lightroom 4 Workflow Organization.