Levels

[JoanieA]

I rarely use 'Levels' in photoshop, but while looking over some other critiques I've seen it mentioned a few times. A critique will say that the 'levels are too even' or 'adjust the levels to add contrast'. I'm no pro so I don't know all the secrets to making a great photo. This is a picture I took of a new mom, and I liked how soft it is. But then I started wondering if there should be a little more contrast with levels. Anyone have any levels advice for me? Any rules to follow? How do you usually use the levels tool? Thanks!

EXIF:

Nikon D5000
f/3.5
1/320 sec
ISO 400
35 mm lens
No Flash

[kylethemiller]

your levels are usually to taste. if you like it, go with it. i usually adjust until my mind says "ah ha" your picture above is on the "grey" side of black and white. If you truly want the portraits to pop, you want the blacks to be black and the whites to be white. Instead of dif. shades of grey.

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by kylethemiller

your levels are usually to taste. if you like it, go with it. i usually adjust until my mind says "ah ha" your picture above is on the "grey" side of black and white. If you truly want the portraits to pop, you want the blacks to be black and the whites to be white. Instead of dif. shades of grey.

Exactly this, couldn't have said it better. It does feel a bit "flat" to me.

Alternatively, not knowing what editing software you have, I'd consider doing an LCE adjustment if you're using any version of photoshop. before Lightrooms "Clarity" setting, I used some variant of LCE on pretty much all my images.

[MrJones]

just add a little contrast to the photo and you'll be fine.
you'll lose that grayish feeling and get more blacks and whites instead of the grays.

[JoanieA]

I see what you're saying. I have Lightroom and an old version of photoshop. What do you use other than just 'levels' or 'contrast'?

Here is another picture. Does it look less gray to you guys??

[Wesnile]

If you hold down the Alt or Option key while sliding the highlights or shadows arrow, the image will turn either white or black depending on which slider.

If you click on the highlights and hold Alt or Option, the image will turn black. Once you start to drag the slider towards the center, spots that will start to get burned out will turn into color. Once you move to to where whites are totally blown out, they will be white.

The opposite for shadows. Once you hold down Alt or Option while using the slider, the image will be white and move to black once the shadows turn to true black.

I tend to push the highlights and sliders just to where they have some "true" white and black parts of the image and then adjust the middle slider "midtones" to taste of brightness.

If you need a tutorial on this, let me know.

[MrJones]

Originally Posted by Wesnile

I tend to push the highlights and sliders just to where they have some "true" white and black parts of the image and then adjust the middle slider "midtones" to taste of brightness.

that's the key for me too. in my opinion a black and white photo should have both blacks and whites.
in the second shot you are close but it still feels a bit grayish. take the contrast to the end and then slowly take it back to where you feel it's enough.

[huggins37]

As the others have said, both images appear a bit flat to me. For B&W on a portrait, I like the background to have more contrast with the subject. In the case of these photos, the background is very close to the same level as the face and to me it distracts from the subject. I think if the back ground was much darker in the first photo, it would help make the subject pop more and a similar case for the second, although, on the second photo I think I would tend for a lighter background.