There are occasional debates online about what type of lighting to use. Traditionally, photography has always used different types of pulsed light because constant light studio lights were very heavy, very expensive, and consumed a lot of electricity.

But now, as the cost of constant light begins to come down and we see more and more powerful, even spectrum, daylight-matched lighting products hitting the market, the question of the benefits of constant light is once again becoming relevant.

“Light painting”, but how much light is enough?

Perhaps you are new to lighting and want to get the most out of your money on light purchases, or at least get a brief introduction to the topic. In this article I will try to give a brief overview of the possible options and criteria for making a decision. Today we will compare the advantages of each system.

Pulsed light

1. Power!

Pulsed light sources will give you much more light output than constant lights at any comparable cost, size, or any other parameter. Why is that? Because a constant light source must reflect photons from objects into the lens as long as the shutter is open. A pulsed source can instead store as much energy as needed in a relatively short time, and then release large amounts of energy easily and instantly.

Let's use a little arithmetic to demonstrate this idea. Let's say you have five 60-watt halogen lamps. You get about 5500 lumens of light, 17-18 lumens per watt of power consumption. Since the light is constant, every second this 300-watt source will emit 5,500 lumen-seconds of light. Lumen seconds can measure the emission of light regardless of duration.

1sec., f/9, ISO100. The white balance of the light source is from 3500K to approximately 2950K. The dark strip has the same view illuminated by natural light.

Take a pulse source with a xenon gas discharge tube that produces about 100 lumens per watt. We use a relatively weak 60-watt pulse and assume that the manufacturer did not cheat with the indicators and the flash electronics are highly efficient. If we multiply lumens/watts by watt-seconds, we get lumen-seconds. So the lumen-second output would be around 6000.

Well, it's quite a bit higher than constant light! Yes, but keep in mind that all those lumen-seconds will actually be emitted in about 1/2500 of a second. Let's take lumen seconds, divide by seconds, what do we get?

6000/ 1/2500 = 6000*2500 = 15,000,000 lumens! In reality the light output will be closer to 10,000,000 lumens due to optical and electronic losses. This makes it easy to overpower the sun, illuminating large rooms or hills or waves for a short moment. After all, we are engaged in photography - so we only need a short moment to take a picture.

1 sec.,f/9, ISO 100. You could use 1/250 sec. with approximately the same result. Compared to the previous photo, this one is 3.4 stops brighter!

Since energy is the product of force and time, a 160 Watt-second monoblock stores 160 Joules in capacitors, and a 300-Watt fluorescent tube uses 300 Joules of energy in one second. Twice the power and ten times less light!

So if you need a lot of power for a big job or want to overpower daylight - the best option is to use a flash light.

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Pulsed light allows you to have the sun in a package the size of a coffee can. You can light up a room like on a sunny day with a source that fits in your hands and weighs a hundred grams. If you are doing or planning to shoot outdoors, pulsed light is much more convenient.

To create a constant light of about the same power as a pulsed one, you would need to use several high-power Fresnel lamps, which consume approximately 4-20 kilowatts, weigh about 25 kg each, and cost thousands of dollars, yet produce an output of about 100,000 - 500,000 lumens. It's this combination of power and convenience that makes pulsed light something that won't be replaced any time soon.

They are not as huge as cinema lights. Although there are even fewer.

In terms of compactness, long fluorescent tube lamps do not fold down to travel size and definitely need shock protection in addition to the set. On the other hand, a meter-long softbox can easily be disassembled into a truly compact size.

3. Battery powered

For both pulsed light and flashbulbs, small self-contained batteries are a common power source. LED light is constantly being improved, so that there are already real battery-powered constant light sources, but the power of their light is not yet comparable to the power of pulsed sources. With batteries, you can go anywhere with three, four or five spot lights. For work on the road, this is indispensable.

Look - no wires! Many editorial photographers use flash kits for shooting in any conditions.

Flash units use AA batteries, or you can connect a high-voltage booster to speed up recharging. Lithium battery packs with a built-in inverter allow you to take your studio light anywhere, just like camera flashes. This is especially appropriate for small, rugged all-in-one PCs like the AlienBees.

4. Color

The spectral emission of xenon discharge tubes is such that they have a color rendering index (CRI) of about 100. CRI is a measure of how well the light illuminates colors without altering them due to peaks or valleys in the spectrum of the emitted light.

The closer it is to the continuous spectrum (regardless of color temperature), the better. The index for incandescent lamps is also 100, but for other constant light sources such as halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps or LEDs, it is no more than 95. By the way, if you are looking for constant light, know that a factor of 80-90 is “good” , and 90-100 is “excellent”. In general, it is better to choose light with a coefficient of 91 or higher.

CRI>93, but at $8 per lamp. Color accuracy doesn't come cheap. And it still falls short of a regular flash.

In addition to excellent color rendering, xenon gas discharge tubes have a coating that gives them a daylight color temperature of about 5500 K, which ensures their applicability in a wide range of situations and adds another advantage to those already described.

5. Price

The cost per lumen-second (or watt-second) is much lower for pulsed light. The same applies to a large extent to the power and color requirements, which are also difficult to achieve today at a reasonable price with constant light.

Fluorescent light appears to be most effective with T-5 bulbs, which produce 5,200 lumens with a CRI of 93, and compact fluorescents, which produce 4,800 lumens with a CRI of 91.

You can buy two flashes for the price of the lamps and ballasts in this picture!

A good manual flash can be purchased for less than $100, and with TTL - about $200. Four powerful T-5 lamps will cost about $35, not counting the lamp itself and the electronics to operate it, which will add another $150 to the cost. This is if you collect everything yourself.

Cool Lights and KinoFlos costing between $500 and $1500 are no brighter than a flash. A 160-watt pulse monoblock costs less than $250. Adding the cost of a 12x48-inch stripbox, even from an expensive manufacturer like Lastolite, still won't match the cost of a quality fluorescent light.

Constant light

It appears that pulsed light is superior to continuous light in all directions. But is it? We haven't considered all the factors yet. Let's look at the benefits of constant light.

1.WYSIWYG

“What you see is what you get” (from the translator - this is what the abbreviation in the title stands for). With constant light there is no need for a modeling light, which generates a lot of heat and may limit you from using some light modifiers. You will immediately see exactly what the camera sees.

This can be a great help when learning to work with artificial light as you can move the light around and immediately see the result without having to shoot the shot at all.

It so happened that I used a modeling light as a permanent light in this shot, but any old-fashioned table lamp could have taken its place.

The ratio of light from sources directly in front of your eyes. No flash meter, no need to shoot in manual mode, just switch light settings until you like the result. And then adjust the aperture and ISO on the camera. One can only dream of such a learning process!

And your model will see what happens. Without sudden flashes of light everywhere - she may just have to get used to the high light levels.

2. Do it yourself

If you like to do everything yourself, then it will be much easier, safer and perhaps even cheaper to follow the path of constant light. A homemade fluorescent source can be assembled for about $150-200. A flashlight with several powerful compact fluorescent lamps in a large housing will cost about $200-250.

Compared to buying a pulsed light, the price is comparable. Compared to trying to disassemble, remodel, or make one yourself, a pulsed light source is a safety factor like night and day. No high wattage, no high voltage, no capacitor banks to worry about, no discharge channel.

Although in principle it is possible to assemble an inexpensive pulsed light source yourself, if you are not an electrical engineer, it is better to leave this to specialists. And don't forget that fluorescent lamps contain mercury vapor!

Almost everything you need for self-assembly - almostKinoFlo. Of course, not for $200, but still cheaper than the four-digit price of the original.

Even if you are not a DIYer, constant light still has huge potential for “alternative uses.” Want KinoFlo? Buy a greenhouse light for $150. Want as much light as possible? There are countless old lamps and lamps being sold for a couple of dollars. Unlike pulsed light, there is no reason to only use light specifically designed for shooting. Although pulsed sources may be more useful for photography, they are quite a significant investment.

3. Advantages of low power

Lower constant light output is not always a disadvantage. If you like to take bright pictures, but with an open aperture and a shallow depth of field, then constant light will suit you well.

If you're shooting food, produce, still life or other static subjects, aperture won't be an issue since you don't need to use motion-stopping shutter speeds. The light can be adjusted to your liking and the shutter speed won't matter much. This can be done with pulsed light using a neutral gray filter, but it's still good to see what's in focus!

Straight from the camera. Is it possible to determine whether the shutter speed here was a full second long or 1/250 s? I can not.

4. Light quality

This is a very subjective point and we can only talk about personal impressions, but perhaps you have noticed that there is some difference in the quality of softened pulsed and constant light? Personally, I have always found the quality of constant light more pleasant.

Perhaps because there is “real” dispersion with constant illumination over the area, and not falling towards the edges as with pulsed light with software. This, of course, applies primarily to long fluorescent lamps. LED panels are usually not big enough to see this effect, but I think it's the same.

Others say that light is light and from a physics point of view I agree with them. But the constant light also has a certain soft clarity that I cannot explain.

5. Video

The video capabilities of constant light should also not be overlooked, especially today, when more and more photographers are asked to shoot video with DSLRs. The ability to use existing light for video shooting can be a competitive advantage for a potential client with extensive needs.

You can also experiment with using a constant light source on your camera to see how the lighting of your subject changes as you move around it, giving you an advantage over flash photographers.

Which light to buy

Actually... I'll say both. Each of them is a separate tool for its tasks and as you can see from the illustrations, I am currently working on using a permanent one. Sometimes it is even possible to use both types at the same time: for example, setting a light pattern using constant light together with freezing the characters with a pulsed source on the second curtain. Another example would be shooting portraits with fashionable constant main light sources that provide comfort for the eyes of the portrait subject, while backlighting with a pulsed source.

Either way, it depends on your specific needs. Are you looking for power and portability above all else? Choose pulsed light. Do you shoot in a studio and rarely stop down to more than f/3.5? Then I will recommend a permanent one. Your specific situation may be more ambiguous, so I won't be able to give one-size-fits-all advice. However, I hope that this article will give you some general understanding of the topic and help you make the right decision.

When photographing with pulsed light, misconceptions often arise. In this article we will look at the two most common of them. The article will be useful for both experienced photographers and beginners. So, the misconceptions:

• When shooting with pulsed light, a shutter speed of 1/60 will not be sufficient - this will not be enough to freeze the movement in the frame (especially if we talk about splashes and drops).
• When shooting with pulsed light, fast lenses at open apertures cannot be used. After all, pulsed sources provide too much light.

Misconception about endurance

Now let's talk about shutter speed with pulsed light and how we get it wrong. Based on the basics of photography, we are accustomed to the fact that shutter speed determines the exposure of a photo. This is true, but not always.

If we go into a dark room where there are no windows or light, no matter what shutter speed we set, the picture will show nothing but a black square. After all, there is no light.

Next, we place one or another source of pulsed light in this room and photograph any object at shutter speed 1/60 sec. Without changing the power of the pulse source, let's change the shutter speed to 1/125 sec and take a photo of the same object again.

What happens? The shutter speed was shortened by half. The amount of light that ended up on the camera’s matrix was also halved (the exposure will be halved). But, in fact, everything is not like that.

The fact is that the pulse of the pulse source is much shorter than 1/125 sec. To understand how this works, you don't have to go deep into a high school physics course. This may all seem overwhelming at first, but anyone can figure it out. Now let's talk in detail about how it works.

For standard pulse monoblocks from well-known manufacturers, pulse duration t0.1 is about 1/500 sec. Where t0.1 this is the time during which the pulse power drops in 10 once.

There are monoblocks with a different indicator - t0.5. This is the time during which the pulse power will drop by 50%. However, this indicator can be called almost useless, because an impulse that is reduced by half will still provide enough light in the frame. In outline, t0.5 approximately three times shorter than t0.1, is approximately 1/1500 sec.

What's the result? If the pulse of the light source has a duration shorter than the shutter speed set on the camera, the photographer does not care what to set - 1/60 sec, or 1/100 sec, or 1/125 sec, or 1/200 sec. The exposure of the photo will not change at all. When shooting with flash light, shutter speed does not affect exposure. The only exception to mention here is when the flash pulse itself is cut off due to fast sync or due to the electronic shutter.

Hence, It’s not the shutter speed on the camera that freezes any droplets, but the pulse of the light source. The shorter the pulse of the light source, the less blurred the image will be.

Misconception about open aperture

Now about the second misconception - many write that forced to shoot at f/8.0 because the pulsed light source provides too much light. You might think that there is no way to reduce the amount of light except by using the aperture.

It is possible to reduce the amount of light 6th ways.

• You can reduce the power of a pulsed device (provided there is a regulator);
• You can increase the distance between the subject and the light source;
• Some people use an additional diffuser for the light source - you can throw a white cloth over it or simply hang it right in front of the source;
• Some photographers put a neutral density filter on the lens - for example, ND neutral density;
• You can always reduce ISO(reduce the equivalent sensitivity of the matrix). If you are used to filming ISO 100 go to the camera settings - it is possible that there is an advanced mode there, thanks to which you can set ISO 50. Many cameras have this sensitivity;
• The light source can be directed into any reflector (even into an ordinary wall), and the scene will be illuminated from the reflector.

In the first and last method, it is important to take into account the change in the nature of the light. The further away the light source is, the harder the light becomes. To ensure that the nature of the light does not change much, it is better to use a larger source. As for the last method, the larger the reflection surface, the softer the light will be reflected.

As an example for the article, here is a photograph taken at aperture f/1.4 with monoblock power 500 Joules. Reducing the amount of light was achieved using the first and second methods together. The distance between the light source and the flower is approx. 3 meters.

In the world of photographers, there are often debates about what is better - a staged photo or a reportage photo, what is more important in a photograph - emotions or shooting technique. It’s not worth even mentioning the notorious debate about which is cooler than Canon or Nikon. There are thousands of opinions and arguments, but the final point is always put by those who know how to create, sometimes thanks to, sometimes despite the conditions and technical capabilities, masterpieces. And this gives direction for development to hundreds of photographers who, willingly or unwillingly, begin to imitate them.

We decided, on the one hand, to show the diversity of opinions, and on the other, to help photographers choose what they can and should focus on to achieve their goals. Our today's quick interview with famous and respected photographers about some of the nuances of shooting. We asked professional photographers to briefly answer the question: “ What light do you prefer, why?

Of course it's impulsive. Permanent has a sea of ​​restrictions.

I work the same way with both pulsed and constant light. I prefer pulsed, because... allows you to work with closed apertures and it makes working in the studio more comfortable (the constant ones heat up the model a lot and you have to endlessly adjust the make-up). Although for some artistic designs I use constant or mixed light.

Constant, point. It is visible and it is possible to regulate the light carefully, with millimeter precision.

I use flash light more often because I have it in my studio. However, sometimes I also use constant light. If you don’t take some specialized shooting, where you need a very short shutter speed (water freezing) or, on the contrary, shooting at a long shutter speed, then I don’t see much difference in what light to use. Well, except that with constant light the pattern in the photo will be exactly the way we see it. But with digital technology this is not so critical.

Since about 2007 I have been using constant light more and more. Pulsed light left for orders. Why? I don't have any illuminator (constant light) purchased from a camera store. All lamps are either from regular stores or made by yourself.

For complex compositions, it is interesting to have a wide range of instruments, that is, a large number of light sources. Sometimes these are just flashlights (to highlight a detail or enhance a nuance), sometimes it can be a candle or a kerosene lamp.

Lamps from photo stores do not always meet my needs and it often happens that their prices are unreasonably high.

Pulse. In my opinion, it has more advantages than constant light. The main thing is that with equal energy consumption, its intensity is an order of magnitude greater than that of a constant one. And there is never too much light! Moreover, professional constant light costs much more than pulsed light, and this price is justified not by cost, but by the budgets of the cinema industry. We have to use budgetary constant sources. In general, it is impossible to say unambiguously what is worse and what is better, both types of light sources provide their advantages and have their disadvantages.

I would also like to give practical advice to novice photographers: when shooting with pulsed light, turn off ANY lighting in the studio, you will be pleasantly surprised by the picture that appears before you. Otherwise, you will have to photograph almost at random and you will never learn to control the light.

I use pulsed light: almost always. It is historically more familiar to me. And with it you can realize more creative possibilities. Although, of course, it’s easier to work with constant light, because you immediately get an accurate picture of what will be in the frame. In my opinion, we should expect a technical leap from lighting equipment manufacturers in the coming years. And, first of all, LED devices can easily occupy a worthy niche in constant studio lighting. And in price, and in brightness, and in technical characteristics.

Depending on the task. Or from the mood, or from convenience. Both one and the other have both their pros and cons.

The success of any photo shoot depends 80% on the quality of light the photographer uses. With the help of good light you can create real masterpieces. A distant forest and field in the soft and gentle rays of sunset or a bright sunny day in a city park, a female portrait in soft colors or a male portrait with intense lighting. Every professional should be able to work with all types of lighting, and the first thing a novice photographer should do after purchasing a camera is to choose high-quality light sources that will be universal in relation to all lighting requirements. Let's try to understand what advantages and disadvantages pulsed and constant light sources have.

Constant light sources

Daylight or the LEDs on your flashlight are constant light sources. They provide lighting at any time that is convenient for the photographer, just turn on the device. Such devices have their own characteristics that should be taken into account when shooting.

The advantages of constant light sources include:

• Possibility of higher quality creating exposure before shooting. The photographer independently moves the light to create all the necessary shades in the photo;
• Save time. By using controlled constant light, you can create an exposure and capture it in one or two shots to create a masterpiece;
• Can do not limit shutter speed. You can use both long and short shutter speeds of the camera, since the lighting is static;
• No need every time before shooting change programs camera Once you adjust to the lighting conditions, you can create an almost unlimited number of images of the same quality.

However, there are also disadvantages. Artificial constant light sources consume more electricity than pulsed ones, and also emit significantly more heat, creating discomfort in a closed room. If you use a natural constant light source, be prepared for gradual changes in its characteristics. Twilight and bright sun are completely different modes that require a different approach to shooting. The quality of the images will be greatly influenced by cloudy weather, when the sun either appears from behind the clouds or disappears behind them. Sometimes for a photo shoot you will have to wait for special weather conditions (bright sun, fog, rain, twilight, night). These are conditions that are not created according to your desire.

Pulsed light sources

Such lighting can only be artificial. To understand what a pulsed light source means, just imagine a camera flash.

Advantages of pulsed light sources:

• Mobility. Such light sources can be built into the camera, on-camera, or external, working using a synchronizer (for example, studio light). This variety of options means that you will always have the lighting that suits the situation with you;
• Adjustment. You can set all the necessary characteristics at any time convenient for you;
• Artificial pulsed light sources consume less electricity than their permanent counterparts. Closed room heats up much slower.

The disadvantages of pulsed light sources include limitations on shutter speed. You cannot set a shutter speed shorter than the synchronization time between the camera and the flash (usually no shorter than 1/200). You have to take several shots to adjust to the exposure because the shadow pattern is not visible. Such light sources do not always work, which means that due to a technical error you can lose a successful shot.

Publication date: 04.04.2008

Studio photography equipment

In the photo studio we have the opportunity to create the necessary character of lighting using light sources, light-forming attachments and reflectors (reflectors). Studio light sources are divided into pulsed and constant light.

Constant light sources are powerful halogen lamps that consume a lot of electricity and produce an insane amount of heat. Therefore, they are rarely used in photography, more often in filming.

Pulsed light sources (studio flashes) consist of two lamps, the flash lamp itself and a regular “pilot” light lamp (hereinafter referred to as “pilot”) of low power (about 300W). “Pilot” is necessary in order to evaluate the cut-off pattern, and its power is not enough for shooting. Pulse sources can be divided according to their design into two types: monoblocks and generators.

In a monoblock, the controls, flash lamp and “pilot” are made in one housing, which is mounted on a tripod and plugged into a power outlet. In the generator, control elements for several sources are placed in one housing, and the lamps themselves on tripods are connected to this housing with special wires. One of the conveniences of generators is the ability to quickly control the power of several sources at once. Generator devices are usually of a higher class and have better characteristics (power, pulse duration, recharge speed) than monoblocks. Accordingly, they are much more expensive than monoblocks.

Controls (main: pulse power, pilot power) may differ depending on the manufacturer of studio equipment and the model of the device. The power scale can also be discrete and expressed either in multiples or percentages of maximum power, or indicated in aperture numbers (stops). The power of pulsed studio light sources is indicated in Joules (J). For example: 150 J, 300 J, 500 J, 1000 J.

Manufacturers of professional studio photographic equipment that can be bought in Moscow: Hensel, Bowens, Broncolor, Profoto, Rekam, Prograph, Visatec, Multiblitz, Elinchrom, “Marco”, “Marco-Pro”, Prolinca, GuangBao, Falcon, Raylab. Light shaping attachments. Attachments are hanging structures that are attached to light sources through a mechanical connection (bayonet) and serve to change the nature of the light flux.

Character of light

Directional light (hard, sharp) - light that produces sharp transitions of light and shadow on an object and, in some cases, glare (example: spotlight, bright sun, any point light source).

Diffused light (soft, shadowless) - light emitted by a large surface, uniformly and equally illuminating the object, as a result of which there are no sharp shadows or glare (example: light from a window covered with a white curtain, reflected light from a light wall, cloudy cloudy weather - reflection of light from the clouds). Separation of nozzles according to the nature of light:

Directional light - tubes, “plates”, honeycombs, etc. Diffused light - umbrellas (sometimes reflected or transmitted), soft boxes and their varieties, etc.

Reflectors

Passive lighting equipment. The light itself does not emit, but only reflects (or shines through), allowing you to change its direction, character, and color temperature. Usually it is white, black, gold or silver fabric, dressed on a round or rectangular frame.

Pulse synchronization

Pulse synchronization is the simultaneity of the light pulse and the opening of the camera shutter. Let's list the main methods of synchronizers: IR trigger, sync cable, camera flash.

IR trigger is a universal synchronization method. This is a small box that attaches to the location of your camera's external flash (the so-called hot shoe).

Synchronization occurs through an infrared pulse, since the monoblocks have corresponding trap devices.

Sync cable - synchronization through a wire that is connected to the sync connector on the light source and to the camera's sync connector. The types of connectors vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Flash - your camera's built-in or external flash “sets fire” to other light sources (they have “traps” installed in them). In order to prevent the interference of light from the camera flash in the light picture, it is necessary to cover it (for example, with a piece of cardboard) and reduce its power.

In most cameras, the flash works like this: it fires an evaluation pulse necessary to determine the exposure, and then the main pulse. The eye usually perceives these two flashes as one, but the “traps” in the light sources are triggered by the first pulse, resulting in an underexposed frame. Solution: either turn off the evaluation pulse in the camera or flash (if possible, for example, on Nikon cameras), or use the “exposure memory” button.

Sometimes there are pulse sources that can pass the first evaluation pulse and trigger on the second, but this is rare, and all monoblocks in the studio should be equipped with this function. This is why the camera flash synchronization method is inconvenient.

Radio synchronization - synchronization over a radio channel. Usually this is a set of receiver and transmitter. The receiver is plugged into the sync connector of the light source, the transmitter is attached to the camera, just like the IR trigger. Pros: it does not “blind” in the bright sun, Japanese tourists will not disturb with their flashes during an outdoor photo shoot.

Exposure metering when working with pulsed light

Expo automation of modern cameras is not designed to work with studio pulsed light. It is impossible to determine exposure using the camera! Therefore, studio photography is carried out exclusively in the manual mode (M, Manual) of the camera.

Matrix sensitivity

Shoot at the lowest sensitivity available for your camera to avoid digital noise. I also strongly recommend shooting in RAW rather than JPG.

Excerpt

The pulse duration of monoblocks is extremely short. Therefore, we set the so-called X-sync shutter speed in the camera (usually 1/200–1/500 sec.). Sync speed is the minimum shutter speed at which the shutter is fully open. If you set the shutter speed lower (shorter), you will get the unexposed (black) part of the frame. If you set a longer shutter speed, this will not affect the result, because the power of pulsed light is high compared to natural light in the studio, and the duration of the pulse is short.

Conclusion: when working with pulsed light in a photography studio, it is impossible to control exposure using shutter speed. Aperture is the only way to control exposure when working with pulsed sources, with the exception of changing the power of the light sources or changing the distance from the source to the model.

Determining the correct exposure

We have already understood that we can influence the exposure with the aperture and power of monoblocks, but how to determine the correct exposure? Let's consider two options.

• Flash meter

To determine the correct exposure (correct aperture), there is a flash meter. Essentially, this is an exposure meter that, unlike the one built into the camera, can work with pulsed light. To use the flash meter, just read the simple instructions.

• Brightness histogram

If you don’t have a flash meter, don’t despair. A digital camera has the ability to display a histogram of the captured frame. A brightness histogram is a graph of the distribution of halftones in an image, in which the horizontal axis represents brightness (halftone gradations from black on the left to white on the right), and the vertical axis represents the relative number of points with a given brightness value (the higher the column, the more points).

By examining the histogram, we can get a general idea of ​​the correct exposure (determine overexposure and underexposure) and estimate the required change in exposure. When shooting, you just need to strive to ensure that the histogram does not rest against the top edge, which means “underexposure” (left side) or “overexposure” (right side), and, if possible, monitor the uniform distribution of the histogram horizontally (depending on the specifics of a particular frame) .