the elusive histogram | the photographer's life cycle

You know the one I mean. If your photo has failed, all the pretty colors are jammed up against the left side. If it's succeeded, things are a little more spread out, and usually further toward the right.

I've heard the slogan: Expose to the right!

I wasn't really sure what that meant when I first heard it. I then proceeded to learn the basics (blown highlights, too-dark shadows, dynamic range, &c.), but I still didn't really understand the histogram and what it was telling me.

Well, someone I follow on Twitter recently posted this link, and the article (and related articles) is an extremely helpful explanation of the histogram in Lightroom specifically (and the Tone Curve), which is awesome, because I use LR. I am probably going to reread this article, specifically when I edit my next batch of photos, whenever that might be. (I could re-edit old ones and give the knowledge a go tonight, but I am too tired for this.)

I am not too tired, however, to also share this with you, from this site:


I know it's hard to read, but one of the funniest parts is at the beginning of the blue line, where you think you're awesome because your flower photos and cat photos turn out well. Been there! (Though in my defense I didn't think I was awesome, I just thought I had taken a couple of pretty good photos. Sigh.)

I don't plan on falling into "the HDR hole," but maybe that's because I don't have a tripod yet ;)

"Gearfaggotry" is an interesting stop along the way, too, haha. I have also definitely been there. Actually still climbing out of that hole, though I've stopped obsessively reading forums about lenses.

Otherwise, I'm not sure where I fall on this chart. But wherever I am, I suppose I can look forward to that long fall down the blue line to "Dammit, I suck." One step at a time ;)