What’s the difference between tonal contrast and regular contrast in photo editing?
Asked 6/16/2013
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In editing software, there is often a standard contrast slider, while some plugins also offer tonal contrast. Is tonal contrast just stronger contrast, or does it mean something different? I’m especially wondering how tonal contrast relates to adjustments limited to highlights, midtones, or shadows.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
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As I understand it, "tonal contrast" is used to distinguish from other types of contrast — in a technical sense, that might mean microcontrast (which is edge sharpness) — but in a larger sense it might mean as opposed to contrasting color or other elements of the composition which may contrast, like the size, shape, or pattern of subjects of the photograph.
Usually in photo editing and manipulation software, contrast means tonal contrast. It seems likely the plugins are just being extra precise. Certain filters my use the term to help imply that they work on the contrast within certain ranges of tones (shadow contrast, for example), but that's not really inherent to the meaning.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
13y ago
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Regular contrast usually means global tonal contrast: it increases or decreases the difference between light and dark across the whole image.
“Tonal contrast” usually means contrast applied within a specific tonal range, such as shadows, midtones, or highlights, rather than uniformly across the entire photo. That’s why some tools offer separate controls like shadow contrast or highlight contrast.
So tonal contrast is not necessarily “boosted” contrast. It’s more precise or selective contrast. In some software, the term may also be used a bit loosely to distinguish tonal contrast from other kinds of contrast in a photo, such as color contrast or compositional contrast.
If a plugin has both a normal contrast slider and a tonal contrast control, the tonal version is likely targeting certain tones or acting more locally, while the regular contrast slider is global.
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