Contrast Adjustment
A control that increases or decreases the difference between light and dark tones across the whole image.
Measured in
%
In depth
A global contrast increase pushes highlights up and shadows down around a mid-grey pivot, which is fast but blunt — it can clip both ends and it also raises saturation as a side effect. Curves offer the same effect with control over exactly which tones are affected, which is why experienced editors reach for them instead.
Examples in practice
Adding global contrast to a foggy landscape destroys the atmosphere that a targeted midtone curve would have preserved.