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<blockquote data-quote="BackdoorArts" data-source="post: 457323" data-attributes="member: 9240">I haven't spent the time to read through all of the responses thoroughly, but I offer simply this.&nbsp; The histogram shows the range of light information captured in your image on a scale of 0 (black) to 255 (white).&nbsp; Anything at the extremes that is not meant to be either black or white (ie. 'spikes') represents potentially lost information, so if you have a spike you need to adjust appropriately, and if you have two spikes then you have more dynamic range in the image than your camera is capable of capturing (which is where HDR techniques become necessary).There's a theory that I adhere to that recommends you meter in a way that produces your bump to the right of the histogram and not the left.&nbsp; Recovering dark regions from a well exposed (no spikes) but bright image will generally produce less noise than brightening (amplifying) shadows from a well exposed but dark image.&nbsp; &quot;Shoot right&quot; is the catch phrase in case you ever read it.A histogram is a tool, and like a hammer you can build a box with it, and you can build a cathedral with it - it's all in knowing how and when to use it (and ignore it).&nbsp; I've seen amazingly complex color correction work done based on the histogram and where the RGB spikes are, and if you're into nailing your image in every way possible then this is where art and science collide.&nbsp; But for the average photographer I'd say a quick glance at it with your shot on the back of the camera is generally sufficient once you understand what you're looking at.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="BackdoorArts, post: 457323, member: 9240"] I haven't spent the time to read through all of the responses thoroughly, but I offer simply this. The histogram shows the range of light information captured in your image on a scale of 0 (black) to 255 (white). Anything at the extremes that is not meant to be either black or white (ie. 'spikes') represents potentially lost information, so if you have a spike you need to adjust appropriately, and if you have two spikes then you have more dynamic range in the image than your camera is capable of capturing (which is where HDR techniques become necessary). There's a theory that I adhere to that recommends you meter in a way that produces your bump to the right of the histogram and not the left. Recovering dark regions from a well exposed (no spikes) but bright image will generally produce less noise than brightening (amplifying) shadows from a well exposed but dark image. "Shoot right" is the catch phrase in case you ever read it. A histogram is a tool, and like a hammer you can build a box with it, and you can build a cathedral with it - it's all in knowing how and when to use it (and ignore it). I've seen amazingly complex color correction work done based on the histogram and where the RGB spikes are, and if you're into nailing your image in every way possible then this is where art and science collide. But for the average photographer I'd say a quick glance at it with your shot on the back of the camera is generally sufficient once you understand what you're looking at. [/QUOTE]

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