Change Photo Brightness, Change Picture Brightness, Change Image Brightness

How to use Piccyfix to change the brightness your photo, image or picture, FREE online

Starting from the Home Page, choose your photo, then choose Run All wizard Steps, and the fifth step after uploading will allow you to do change the brightness (make the picture, image or photo darker or brighter).

If there are any other wizard steps that you want to skip, just choose the 'Original' picture on that step. You will end up on the Generate page which generates your brighter or darker picture.

Brightness Guidelines

Simply choose the image, photo or picture that appears to have the correct 'level' of 'overall' brightness, taking into account a good balance between the darkest and lightest areas.

On one hand, this means not to dark, but on the other not too light.

As described below, on this step (Brightness), we are only concerned with the OVERALL brightness level, and will worry about RELATIVE contrast in the next stop. So don't worry if there is too little or too much contrast between individual elements - just get the 'overall' brightness correct.

Note that if the image, photo or picture is specifically to be printed, choose a slightly darker option than seems right on the screen.

So far as taking the pictures go, a few tips:

Don't take piccies into the sun - always have the sun on your back if you can.
If you can't, remember that some digi cameras have 'half-way' setting when you click the button, which sets the focus and the lightness to be used. If yours does, focus on the dark area first, press the button half way, move the camera to point into the lighter area, then click the button to take the pic. That way you fool the camera into thinking there is less sunlight than there really is. Sneaky, eh ? Some parts might be completely bleached out, but the bit you want (the darker bit in the middle) should come out ok.
Some camera have a 'darker' setting that allows you to take picture in a darker setting. Have a look for this in your camera setting. It's not meant for inside pictures where flash is normally needed, but is good for late evening or early morning.
Remember to charge your camera batteries up before going out (doh!)

Brightness Explanation

Many cheaper modern digital cameras, webcams and cell/mobile phones with built in cameras still struggle to get the brightness right. This is because they take a best guess taking into account the center of the picture you are taking, how bright it needs to be.

The first common problem is that if you are facing into sunlight when taking the picture, the camera will be fooled into thinking that it is too light, and will darken the rest of the picture.

The second common problem is thinking that there is enough light in the room, when there isn't. Again, it comes out too dark.

And finally, have you ever forgot to turn the flash on, or the batteries ran out ?

More on those problems later. And now onto the detailed explanations..

If the brightness is increased (made brighter), this means that all parts of the picture are made lighter, and if decreased (made darker), as expected, all parts of the image are made darker.

The crucial thing is that all parts of the photo are made brighter and darker *together*.

To explain this, imagine that we choose to make the picture one option lighter. The darker areas will be made slightly lighter, as will the lighter areas.

But crucially, the *relative difference* between the lightest and darkest areas will remain the same.. so everything 'changes together', either getting lighter or darker together.

What is the difference between Brightness and Contrast?

Changing the Contrast, on the other hand changes the relationship between the lighter and the darker areas, while keep the 'overall/average' brightness the same.

For example, increasing the Contrast means increasing the *difference* between light and dark areas. This will make the darker areas darker, and the lighter areas lighter. This results in a sharper less-grey image that appears to lose some detail.

So, it follows naturally that decreasing the Contrast means decreasing the 'difference* between light and dark, which will make the darker areas lighter, and the lighter areas darker. This reasults in a greyer image that appears to show more detail.

To summarise, brightness affects the OVERALL brightness of the photo, contrast affects the RELATIVE brightness of individual photo areas.