Last updated on May 11, 2023
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HDR Efex Pro 2 is being updated with the new interface and features of Nik Collection 6. The new Nik 6 HDR Efex will be available in Nik Collection version 6.3.

With the HDR Efex Pro 2 module, you can stitch and merge images with different exposure settings to expand their dynamic range, giving you the ability to reproduce the darkest and brightest tones in the same image. Thanks to its 32-bit engine, HDR Efex Pro 2 offers lots of creative options for surreal and natural renderings, because you can correct the resulting image globally and selectively using from Control Points.

HDR Efex Pro 2 interface.
Image: Chris Gorman

Accessing HDR Efex Pro 2 is different from the other modules in the Nik Collection, see the Workflow chapter for more details.

Settings and help

Use the HDR Efex Pro 2 settings to select your preferences for the interface, ghost image processing, GPU acceleration, image output, image stacking with originals, and access the online user guide.

After launching Analog Efex Pro 2, click on the Settings button in the lower left corner. In the floating window, you can open one of the sections by clicking on its banner, starting with Interface settings:

Alignment and reduction of ghost images

If you want, HDR Efex Pro 2 is capable of merging handheld images and/or in motion and containing moving elements. It is also capable of correcting chromatic aberration.

* Changes take effect when you open HDR Efex Pro 2 the next time.
For each of the display options above, if you select Use last setting, the setting from the previous session will automatically be applied.

GPU

The GPU (Graphics Processor Unit) section, which you can access by clicking on its banner, lets you use your computer’s video card to perform calculations related to image processing, thus relieving the load on the main processor. To do this, check the Use GPU for image processing checkbox. You will also find information about your GPU’s make, model, memory, and driver version (if available) in this section.

Image output settings

In this section, you can choose the settings for the output files after clicking on the Image Output Settings banner:

** When choosing an output format, be careful not to contradict the same setting in the host program. If you have selected 16-bit TIFF in the host program and choose JPEG from one of the Nik Collection modules, a JPEG will be generated when saving.

Stacking

The following options allow you to manage and organize the merged images back into certain applications:

Improve the Nik Collection

If you want the program to transmit usage statistics, check the dedicated box, after opening the section by clicking on its banner. These statistics, which remain anonymous, allow DxO Labs developers to evaluate how users use the program, with the aim of developing and improving the product. Click on the button just below to find out more (internet connection required).

To save your choices, click OK, otherwise click Cancel.

Help

To access the online help links, you can go to the Help menu or click on the Help button at the bottom left (Internet connection required):

Interface

Generally speaking, all the components of the Nik Collection suite share the same interface, except for a few details and elements. HDR Efex Pro 2 is composed of five distinct elements:

  1. The upper toolbar
  2. The left panel
  3. The image display area
  4. The right panel
  5. The lower toolbar
The five elements of the HDR Efex Pro 2 interface

HDR Efex Pro 2 also features a preview window for merging images. For more information, see the Merge Images page in this chapter.
You can find information and details about the Edit and Help menus on the Standalone mode page in the Workflow chapter; note that the File menu is inactive in plugin mode.

The upper toolbar

The top toolbar contains the tools and commands related to the display of the image and side panels.

The upper toolbar
  1. Hide or view adjustment panels: Hide or reveal the left panel.
  2. Single image display: Normal image display without separation and comparison.
  3. Split preview: Divides the image in two with a vertical red line that you can move left or right, or toggle to horizontal mode by clicking the arrow at the top of the line, with the option of also moving the red line up and down. The left half (or upper half) represents the image as it was opened in the plugin, the right half (or lower half) represents the processed and corrected image. You can also zoom in and out of the image either with the browser or with the Hand tool by pressing the spacebar.
  4. Side-by-side preview: The version before processing is displayed on the left, the version after processing is displayed on the right. You can also display the two versions of the image one above the other by clicking on the button in between. You can also zoom and move synchronously in the two images, either with the Browser or with the Hand tool, by pressing the spacebar.
  5. Compare: By clicking this button, you can quickly compare the before- and after-correction versions of your image. You can use this tool only in Single image display mode (2).
  6. Zoom**: Set to 100% by default, lets you zoom in and out of the image. After you zoom in, a floating Navigator window automatically displays the enlarged zone in the image; you can move this window either by clicking on it and dragging it, or by clicking on a different part of your image. (By pressing and holding the spacebar, you can also use the Hand tool to move around in your image.) To return to normal view, click on the Zoom button. The arrow lets you access different rates of enlargement, from 6.25% to 400%. You can also use the zoom and movement functions in split preview and side-by-side display modes.
  7. Change background color: Click the button successively to change the background from medium gray to white, black, and back to medium gray. This lets you adapt the screen to the brightness of the image displayed (for example, you can darken the background to avoid too strong a contrast between a dark image and the interface).
  8. Hide or view adjustment panels: Hide or reveal the right panel.

*You can use the Tab key to hide/unhide the two side panels at the same time.
** To zoom in, you can also press the spacebar, and go back to the previous size by releasing it.

The Navigator floating window

The left panel

The left panel contains all the filters and effects grouped under the Presets section, as well as the Custom section, for creating your own effects, and the Imported section, for loading effects shared by other users. For the operation of these palettes, see Using and Managing Presets.

The panel also includes the History section. The panel also shows all the processing and correction steps of your image, from the top (older) to the bottom (newer). To view the image at a particular stage, click on the stage in question in the list. The selected step is displayed in yellow, all previous (top) steps are white, and all subsequent (bottom) steps are grayed out: if you make a correction at this time, the grayed out steps will be removed.

The Merge Settings button lets you return to the Merging window (see the <a hqid=”2781353″ href=”#”>Merging images page).

In split view or side-by-side display mode, you can move the history selector (the yellow arrow on the left edge of the section) to apply a history step to the left view.

The image display area

This is where the image is displayed, on a medium gray background (which you can change by clicking the Change Background Color button in the top toolbar).

At the bottom right, below the image, you will find the following information:

  1. File name and extension
  2. Size in megapixels
  3. ISO sensitivity
  4. Camera used

The right panel

The right panel displays the tool sections, based on the effects and filters selected in the left panel. But there are also a number of common features:

  1. Toggle the effect of the section: uncheck the box to the left of the palette name to temporarily disable the tools and settings applied to the image. This allows you to do quick comparisons. To reactivate the tools and settings, check the box.
  2. Reset all settings in this section to their default values: Click on the curved arrow to reset all the tools and settings in the section at once.
  3. Click on the section name bar or the arrow on the left to close/open the section.
  4. Double-click on a slider to reset it.
  5. Selection settings: refer to the Correction tools page in this chapter for a detailed description of control points and associated settings.

The Loupe and Histogram section is also available regardless of the tools you use. To switch from one to the other, move the mouse just below the title bar to bring up the selector, then click on either function:

  1. Loupe (Magnifier):
    • The preview shows a real-time magnification of 200% as you move the mouse pointer over the image.
    • You can also lock the loupe to a specific place in the image: click on the pin on the right in the title bar and then click on the desired place in the image. To unlock, click the pin again.
    • Regardless of whether the loupe is locked or not, you can also move around in the image after clicking in the loupe (the image displayed in the center does not move, even when zoomed in).
  1. Histogram:
    • Show clipped shadows/Show clipped highlights: The two buttons at either end of the Loupe/Histogram mode selector can be used to display clipped shadows as a red mask (shadows that are too dense) or blue mask (highlights that have turned white).
    • By default, the histogram shows all channels. By clicking in the histogram, you switch from All channels to Red, Green, Blue, Luminosity, and then back to All channels.

The lower toolbar

The lower toolbar includes access to help, plugin settings, and save functions.

  1. Help* provides access to the online user guide.
  2. Settings* opens the plugin options window.
  3. Previous/Next lets you switch between images if you have opened more than one in the same session, and indicates the number of images.
  4. Save & resume editing**: activates the reversible workflow. The ? button opens a page with information about this workflow (internet connection required).
  5. Cancel: Cancels the current processing and corrections and closes the plugin. The image in the host application is not modified.
  6. Save/Save All: lets you save the processing and corrections and closes the plugin. The image in the host application is modified. The Save All command appears when you have opened several images in the plugin.

* For more information, see the Settings and Help page.
** To learn more about non-destructive workflow (available from Nik Collection 3 onwards), see the Workflow chapter.

Keyboard shortcuts

ActionWindowsMacintosh
Clipped highlightsShift + HShift + H
Clipped shadowsShift + SShift + S
CancelCtrl + ZCmd + Z
RedoCtrl + YCmd + Y
Full ScreenFF
PreviewPP
Show/Hide Control PalettesTabTab
Apply FilterEnterBackspace
Cancel FilterEscEsc
ZoomSpaceBarSpaceBar
Zoom inCtrl + “+”Cmd + “+”
Zoom outCtrl + “-“Cmd + “-“
FitCtrl + 0Cmd + 0
Zoom to 100 %Ctrl + Alt + 0Cmd + Alt + 0
Add Control PointCtrl + Shift + ACmd + Shift + A
Delete Control PointDelDel
Duplicate Control PointCtrl + D, Alt + drag, or Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to pasteCmd + D, Alt + drag, or Cmd + C to copy and Cmd + V to paste
Expand/Collapse Control PointEE
Group Control PointsCtrl + GCmd + G
Ungroup Control PointsCtrl + Shift + GCmd + Shift + G

Merging images

Working in HDR Efex Pro 2 is a two-step process: merging images and then processing the HDR images. On this page, you will learn about image merging, which uses a special interface, the Merge Settings window, to handle a number of issues inherent in image merging. Once the original images have been merged, the HDR image will be displayed in the plugin.

Access and use of HDR Efex 2 is based on a particular workflow, especially with respect to host applications. For more information, see the Workflow chapter.

Upon image opening

After selecting images with different exposures for HDR merging, and then ordering them to be transferred to HDR Efex Pro 2, they will first open in the Merge Settings window, where you will find the following options:

  1. Image thumbnails are displayed at the top of the window, and are indicated by their file name. The darkest image is on the left, the normally-exposed one is in the center, and the brightest one is on the right. This also applies if your series contains more than 3 images: The same if you only open 2 images.*
  2. If the distance between each image is more than 3 EV, a message will warn you that the quality of the blending may be affected, but you can still start it. Otherwise, choose images with a smaller gap, or add intermediate images.
  3. An exclamation mark in a yellow triangle indicates there are issues with the metadata (focal length, image size, etc.) that HDR Efex Pro 2 requires for image merging. In certain cases, HDR Efex Pro 2 will do the merge anyway, automatically reframing if necessary.

In the case of problems relating to exposure deviation exposure adjustment menus will be visible below the images, in addition to a yellow triangle:

  1. Beneath the thumbnails, you will find a menu that allows you to manually adjust the exposure differences from one frame to the next (bracketing technique) individually, especially if for some reason HDR Efex Pro 2 does not automatically detect this information in the EXIF metadata for each image.
  2. You can also set image exposure differences by batches, by choosing a value from the Exposure Value** EV Spacing menu located to the right. For example, if you choose 3, you will apply a 3-stop (or 3-EV) difference between the darkest image and the normal image, and then between the normal image and the brightest image. In this case, the difference between the darkest and lightest image will be 3 EV + 3 EV = 6 EV, or 6 f-stops.
  3. Each change to the Exposure Values and their disparities refreshes the preview of the final image.

* If you transfer only one image into HDR Efex Pro 2, it will open directly in HDR Efex Pro 2 without going via the merge window, in which case you will be able to work in single-image HDR mode, but with all the limitations that this imposes in terms of dynamic range.
** The notion of exposure value (EV) expressed here is 1 EV = 1 f-stop. In other words: 1 EV = 1 aperture stop.

Handling problems

Prior to merging images, HDR Efex Pro 2 allows you to correct certain issues and inspect your image in the Preview. You can uncheck any of the following options by clicking on the corresponding checkbox:

  1. Alignment: Lets you align a series of pictures taken without a tripod.
  2. Ghost Reduction*: Algorithms detect and prevent the repetition of a moving element in the image (pedestrian, vehicle, etc.). You can select the strength of the reduction, with higher values having a greater effect—but at the expense of computing time and the likely appearance of abberations or localized noise in the final image.
  3. Chromatic aberration*: Used to attenuate colored fringes along contours subject to high contrast (for example, tree branches against a bright sky, at the edge of the image). Nevertheless, it is advisable to deal with this phenomenon on the original file, in the host application.

* You can inspect the effect of reducing ghost images and chrromatic aberration in the preview of the merged image (see bellow).

Previewing and inspecting merged images

A preview of the image after the HDR merge is available in the interface. The look of the image will depend on your manual settings for EV deviation.

The Adjust Exposure of the Preview slider* just below the preview image lets you adjust the EV at each end of the scale.

To see the darkest image, move the slider all the way to the left, and for the lightest image, move the slider all the way to the right; you can view the intermediate images anywhere along the slider.

You can use the slider to darken or lighten the image, to inspect for ghost images

and chromatic aberration after clicking the Loupe button:

  1. Move the loupe in the image and then use the red rectangle to position it wherever you want. As soon as it is positioned, the portion of the image in the red rectangle is displayed in the loupe.
  2. You can change the display mode at the top of the loupe by clicking either Ghost Reduction or Chromatic Aberration (the active mode is indicated in yellow).
  3. To close the loupe, click on the Loupe button.

* The slider only adjusts the brightness of the preview image; it does not affect the merged result.

Start HDR merging

Once you have adjusted your settings, all you have to do is start merging the images:

  1. Click on Create HDR.
  2. You will immediately switch to the HDR Efex Pro 2 interface, with a progress bar indicating that it is being processed.

If you wish to return to the Merge Settings window, especially to change your settings:

  1. Go to the History section (left pane).
  2. Click on the Merge Settings button at the top of the section.

Using and Managing Presets

Presets section

The Preset Library is a collection of effects available for HDR Efex Pro 2, with thumbnails displaying the effect of each style on the active image. Presets are a quick way to learn and use HDR Efex Pro 2, while providing a starting point for creating custom presets that you can then apply to your image with a single click.

Preset categories

Predefined categories allow you to filter the presets provided. By clicking on a category, only the presets in that category will be displayed. Click on the All category to display all presets again. The categories are:

Add to favorites

Click on the star next to a preset to assign it to the Favorites category. To deselect a preset as a favorite, click on its star again (white star: not a favorite preset, yellow star: a favorite preset).

Custom section

This library stores all your custom presets, separating them from the presets included in the software and to facilitate your own workflow. Custom presets include your own settings, recipes and effects, which you can also share with other Nik Collection users—and vice versa!

  1. Create a new custom preset based on the current photo status (+ button): Click this button to save current corrections as a custom preset. After naming the preset, the thumbnail will be added to the Custom section for later use.
  2. Rename this preset: Click on the preset name below the thumbnail to activate the input field. After entering the new name, press Enter to confirm.
  3. Add to Favorites: Click on the white star to assign the preset to the Favorites section of the Preset Library (the star turns yellow). Click again to remove it (the star turns white again).
  4. Click to remove this preset*: Hover over the preset to display the buttons embedded in the thumbnail. Click on the X in the upper left corner to remove the preset from the Custom section. This control is only available for imported/custom presets.
  5. Click to export this preset*: Hover over the preset to display the buttons embedded in the thumbnail. Click on the top right button to export the preset for sharing. A system dialog box lets you change the pre-entered name and choose the save location; then click on Save.
  6. Click to update this preset with the current settings*: hover over the preset to display the buttons embedded in the thumbnail. Clicking on the button in the bottom right corner will update the preset if you make changes to the settings using the tools in the right panel.
  7. Export All: This button, located at the top of the section, allows you to save all the presets in one go in a folder that you created beforehand, and which is accessible via a system dialog.

* These commands are only available for custom presets, and not for the presets delivered with the plugin.

Imported section

This library is a collection of presets provided to you by another user or downloaded from the Internet.

  1. Import a preset from your computer (+ button): when you click on this button, a system dialog box opens. Use this to locate the presets to be imported. After selecting them, click Open. The imported presets will appear

as thumbnails in the Imported section.

  1. Click to remove this preset*: Hover over the preset to display the buttons embedded in the thumbnail.
  2. Click on the X in the upper left corner to remove the type from the Imported section. This control is only available for imported/custom presets.
  3. Click to export this preset*: Hover over the preset to display the buttons embedded in the thumbnail. Click on the top right button to export the preset for sharing. A system dialog box allows you to change the pre-entered name, and to choose the save location, before clicking on Save.
  4. Export All: This button, located at the top of the section, allows you to save all the presets in one go in a folder that you created beforehand, and which is accessible via a system dialog.

* These commands are only available for custom presets, and not for the presets delivered with the plugin. Please note that you cannot update or rename imported presets. To do this, apply them, modify the settings, and then save as a new preset.

Correction tools

HDR Efex Pro 2’s correction tools allow you to go far beyond simply choosing a predefined HDR rendition. You will be able to alter the HDR method, tone compression, tonality, color, and also make localized adjustments using control points.

The HDR processing engine in HDR Efex Pro 2 is 32-bit end-to-end (compared to 16-bit RAW, TIFF, and 8-bit JPEG files).

Global Adjustments

After merging then opening your HDR image, the program applies a default rendering (type 01 – Default), and from there you can:

For the last two situations, you can use the tools available in the right panel to alter tone compression, tonality, and color in order to assign selective corrections to control points as well as apply finishing effects.

Tone compression

The compression of tones consists in reducing the strong differences in luminosity, restoring detail and information in the dynamic range of the image, and giving it a particular rendering, by combining the following settings:

  1. Tone Compression*: Adjusts the luminosity of different tones relative to each other.
  2. Method Strength*: Modulates the combined effect of the HDR method settings (below) and tone compression settings.
  3. HDR Method*: Depending on the preset you initially selected, HDR Efex Pro 2 will apply different levels to the following settings:
    • Depth affects the overall impact of HDR rendering with the Off, Subtle, Normal, Strong settings.
    • Detail reinforces the level of detail to extremes with Soft, Realistic, Accentuated, Detailed, and Grungy settings.
    • Drama: enhances the contrast of details, up to extreme levels, with Flat, Natural, Deep, Dingy, Sharp, and Grainy settings.

* Tip: Select your HDR method settings first and then your tone compression settings. Finally, adjust the Method strength (i.e. adjust the above settings in a 3-1-2 order).

Tonality

The sliders in the Tonality panel allow you to correct the overall brightness and contrast of your image, and enhance the presence of details and textures:

  1. Exposure: adjusts the overall luminosity of the image, darker to the left, brighter to the right, with the ability to fine-tune at the end of the spectrum using the following two sliders:
    • Shadows: corrects the luminosity of the darkest tones in the image.
    • Highlights: corrects the luminosity of the lightest tones in the image.
  2. Contrast: deals with differences in luminosity, left gives the image a flat aspect (reducing the difference in luminosity between dark and light tones), and right gives it a high-relief aspect (amplifying the differences in luminosity, with dense dark tones and paler light tones). You can fine-tune the contrast settings with these two sliders:
    • Blacks: To the right, subtly lightens the dark areas and recovers more details; to the left, deepens the density of the dark areas.
    • Whites: To the left, subtly darkens the details of the light areas; to the right, makes details in light areas brighter.
  3. Structure: To the right, reinforces small details and textures in the image; to the left, diffuses details and textures.

Color

In the Color panel, you can warm up or cool down your image, and reduce or enhance the overall brightness of the colors:

  1. Saturation makes colors more vivid when you move the slider to the right, or gradually removes colors when you move to the left, until you get a grayscale image.
  2. Temperature uses the same white balance principle found in all photo software. Warm the image to the right (more yellow), and cool it to the left (more blue).
  3. Tint compensates for possible color drifts (green on one side, magenta on the other), after adjusting the temperature.

Selective Adjustments

Selective Adjustments allow you to change only certain parts of the image. Add a control point, and slider settings for that point will only affect the subjects or areas within the zone covered by the control point. In HDR Efex Pro 2, the control points take over the global settings, along with the ability to modulate the chosen HDR method.

You will find more information and details on the operation of Control Points in the dedicated chapter.

Control Points

  1. Control Points: Click this button to add a control point. The mouse pointer changes to indicate that you can click to place the control point in the image. You can place as many control points as you want. After placing the control point in the image, you can apply and adjust the following settings:
  2. Size: The slider adjusts the range or radius of application of the control point. All image elements whose color, brightness, and contrast correspond to the pixels on which the control point is placed will be affected by the corrections and settings you apply to the point.
  3. After placing the control point in the image, you can apply and adjust the following settings:
    • Exposure (Ex): Changes the brightness of the selected area or object. Contrast (Co): Changes the contrast of the selected area or object.
    • Saturation (Sa): Adjusts the color brightness of the selected area or object.
    • Structure (St): Reinforces or diminishes the structure (reproduction of details and textures) of the selected area or object.
    • Blacks (Bk): Increases or decreases the shadow density of the selected object or area.
    • Whites (Wh): Increases or decreases the brightness of the highlights of the selected object or area.
    • Temperature (Te): Warms (more yellow) or cools (more blue) the selected object or area.
    • Tint (Ti): Compensates for possible color drifts (green on one side, magenta on the other).
    • Method Strength (MS)*: reinforces or reduces the previously selected HDR method.
  4. The small triangle located under the first 4 sliders (Ex, Co, Sa, St) reveals or hides the other control point sliders.

* You can adjust the HDR method and tone compression settings with this slider, but you cannot change the type of HDR method or the type of tone commpression with this slider.

Selective adjustments section

The Selective Adjustments section allows you to manage the various control points applied to the image, presented here as a numbered list. An active control point is indicated in yellow.

  1. Enable/Disable effect for all control points: the switch disables and re-enables all control points applied to the image, as well as the associated corrections and settings. Size: The dotted circle indicates the column showing the size of the radius of control point effectiveness, with size shown as a %.
  2. Show/hide effect of Control Point: The checkbox to the left of each control point in the list lets you temporarily deactivate and reactivate the display of the concerned control point and its associated corrections and settings.
  3. Show/Hide Selection for all control points: This button displays the monochrome masks for all control points. To display the mask of only one control point at a time, check the box on the right side of the list. In the monochrome mask, white indicates the areas of the file where 100% of the correction is applied, black indicates no correction and the gray variations indicate the areas more or less affected by the correction.
  4. Specifies the size of each control point in %.
  5. Group: You can group several control points by selecting them beforehand (drag a rectangle over the control points or click on it with the Ctrl/Cmd key) and then clicking on this button. In the list, the selected control points are grouped in a numbered group. When you apply a correction to one of the control points, the correction will be applied to the other control points in the group. However, you can use the size slider to adjust the size of each control point in a group independently.
  6. Ungroup: To remove the grouping of control points, select the group from the list and click this button. All control points will be displayed as ungrouped, allowing you to delete, modify, or create new groups from individual control points.
  7. Duplicate: Clicking this button duplicates the currently selected control point(s). You can also duplicate a control point by clicking on it with the Alt/Option key (the pointer will change to a “+”) and then dragging the mouse to reposition the duplicated control point.
  8. Delete: Click the Delete button to delete the currently selected control point(s).

Finishing

The Finishing section is purely creative, allowing you to apply vignetting effects and neutral density, and to use the curve to take contrast further.

  1. Vignette section: these tools let you apply an effect to darken or lighten the edges of the image, to give it a vintage effect or to focus attention on the subject:
    • Toning drop-down menu: set by default to 1 (Neutral, no tinting). Hover your mouse over the list to see the effect in real-time on your image. To select an effect and apply it, just click on it.
    • Place Center: Click the button to position an off-centered vignetting effect. The mouse pointer will change to a “+” that you then click to place in the image. If you want to change the positioning, click the button again and start over.
    • Quantity controls the amount of vignetting. Moving this slider to the left darkens the edges of the image; moving to the right lightens them.
    • Circle controls the overall shape of the vignetting, between circular and rectangular.
    • Size adjusts the extent of the vignetting effect in the image.
Black Frame 1 vignetting effect
  1. Graduated Neutral Density applies more or less density to the upper and lower areas of the image without altering the colors:
    • Upper Tonality alters the density in the upper 2/3 of the image.
    • Lower Tonality: acts on the density, lighter or denser, in the lower 2/3 of the image.
    • Blend: controls the transition (0% sharp, 100% diffuse) between the image and the edge of the upper or lower tones.
    • Vertical Shift: allows you to extend or reduce the density effect.
    • Rotation: controls the rotation angle of the effect.
Lower Tonality +1.00
  1. Levels and curves section: the curve allows you to refine or completely rework the contrast of your images, either by using a predefined curve or by acting on the curve and level sliders:
    • Levels and curves menu: set to Neutral by default, this menu allows you to select contrast, silver film contrast, or color curve presets. You can configure the curve as you wish and of course you can change the settings.
    • Channel: Set to RGB by default (RGB: Red, Green, Blue), this menu allows you to select the channel for which the tone should be set. In addition to the RGB channels, there is also a Luminosity channel. This allows you to adjust the brightness and contrast of your photo without changing the colors.
    • Tone curve: Click on the curve to adjust it, and add anchor points, which will allow you to lock the contrast settings at specific points on the curve, and thus on the image. To remove an anchor point, double-click it.
    • Levels sliders: let you adjust the extent of Shadows (left), Midtones (center), and Highlights.
Bright Contrast curve

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