Step 10 of 14 · Phone Photography That Looks Intentional
Add a touch of contrast if the image looks flat
Add a touch of contrast if the image looks flat — step 10 of 14 in Phone Photography That Looks Intentional. Flat means the darks and lights are close together — the image looks hazy.
Free photography tip: Add a touch of contrast if the image looks flat (step 10 of 14 from "Phone Photography That Looks Intentional").
Flat means the darks and lights are close together — the image looks hazy. A small contrast bump (+10 to +20) separates tones without making shadows go black. Stop before skin looks crunchy or shadows lose all detail.
Done. Save. You've made one pass: straighten, exposure, maybe contrast. That's the whole edit. Resist the temptation to open 12 more sliders.
You'll need
- Horizon straight
- Exposure matches the scene you remember
- Highlights not blown
- Contrast subtle, not crunchy
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