User manual

17 • HIGHLIGHT AND SHADOW (TONAL RANGE)
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ColorQuartet 5.0 Pro
17•Highlight and shadow (tonal range)
Highlight/Shadow • Overview
What it is
In any image, the darkest and lightest point can be identified. All the other tones in the image
are by definition within the range of intensities defined by these two points, called the tonal
range.
• The lightest point, or highlight value, and the darkest point, or shadow value, can also be
thought of as the extreme end points of the image’s gr
adation curve. The remaining tones are
distributed along the curve.
• Because the tonal range is the single most important parameter to adjust when you scan an
image, ColorQuartet provides a variety of tools for setting the highlight and shadow values.
These tools are accessed in or from the Highlight/Shadow window. Some of them provide an
easy, intuitive way of adjusting highlight and shadow, while others will be of greatest use to
operators with professional color repro training.
• You can also get fully automatic optimization of highlight and shadow – and neutralization of
any color cast
in the lightest and darkest parts of the image – by activating Highlight/Shadow in
the Auto Functions section of the Magic
Touch window.
Adjustment tools in the “Highlight/Shadow” window
The Highlight/Shadow window is opened from the Color menu or the tool bar. It offers several
different types of tools:
• “
Auto Setup” window: for telling ColorQuartet whether you want to set the highlight and shadow
automatically, semi-automatically or manually and for specifying relevant parameters for tonal
range and cast reduction.
• Histogr
am: for direct, interactive manipulation of the tonal distribution.
• Color wheels:
for visual feedback on the tonal range and for adjusting the image’s color neu-
trality (gr
ay balance) in the highlight and shadow areas.
• LCH value fi
elds: for numerical feedback on the tonal range and for entering highlight and
shadow changes in numerical form. This option is mainly of interest to professional users. For
numerical input, you will probably find it easier to use the
Densitometer window.
• Saved Highlight/Shadows:
for setting the highlight based on the characteristics of a specific
type of film.
Getting feedback
Changes you make in the Highlight/Shadow window are shown in three places: