Tonal Contrast
The difference in brightness between adjacent areas of an image, which controls separation and visual impact.
Measured in
stops
In depth
Local tonal contrast is what makes a subject stand out from its surroundings, and global contrast is what gives a picture its overall mood — high contrast reads as bold and graphic, low contrast as quiet and atmospheric. Because the eye is drawn to the greatest local difference, contrast is also a way of directing attention independently of composition.
Examples in practice
A pale figure against a dark doorway is read first, regardless of where it sits in the frame.