Understand Histograms

[ylu01]

Hi,

Just wanted to ask, how do you make sense of the Histogram and the RGB Histogram for submissions? What am i supposed to look for? Is there any resources or any recommended videos that explains this?

Also, (Probably will remove soon) refer to the queud photo: https://www.jetphotos.com/viewqueued_b.php?id=10151324
In the RGB histogram, what does the big spike starting in the left mean? I'd like to know so I can try to decide for myself what else would be grounds for a rejection.

Thanks

[MarkLawrence]

Several years ago, there was a topic on here that referenced some good resources for the histogram.

https://forums.jetphotos.com/forum/aviation-photography-videography-forums/digital-photo-processing-forum/62059-histograms-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-tool

Unfortunately, this first guide by Paul Nichols which is probably 10 years+ old but it taught me everything about histograms is no longer available online - maybe some of the others readers might have more information on that, but the other guides on that topic will definitely help.

[Wheat]

In short, you want the spikes or spike to be as close to the middle as possible.

Spikes that are far right makes the photo not only overexposed but also a contrast rejection. While spikes that are far left makes the photo underexposed and also a contrast rejection.
.

[brianw999]

In short, you want the spikes or spike to be as close to the middle as possible.

Spikes that are far right makes the photo not only overexposed but also a contrast rejection. While spikes that are far left makes the photo underexposed and also a contrast rejection.
.

And there should not be any flat baselines at either end of of the graph.

This video explains a lot…. https://youtu.be/htqrTTSZp-M

[zomeu]

No empty zones and no peaks on both ends of histogram...

[ylu01]

Alright, thank you all for the explanations