What would you do in levels?

[Phot]

Whenever you see flat spots like this, do you always cinch them up?

 

[480sparky40 39]

Depends on how I want the image to look.

 

[Derrel]

I am more concerned with the far left point, the black point, than with the highlight point. Back in the bad old days of Nikon Capture 1.0, Nikon recommended that the FIRST operation in decoding a .NEF file was setting the black point, in the original D1 images. At that time, Photoshop could not open D1 raw files. SAo, I spent a good deal of time doing just that, setting the black point, and then doing other corrections in Nikon Capture.

 

[Phot]

I am more concerned with the far left point, the black point, than with the highlight point.

Don't know what you're referring to. I'm talking about the top row (Both left and right markers).

Depends on how I want the image to look.

Whatever you think looks most attractive. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Trever1t]

you know what? I never ever do any levels adjustments using that panel.

 

[Vtec44]

For me I only use the histogram for a simple and quick check for exposure especially in bright daylight when my LCD screen may not be display the correct brightness. When I edit, I always use tone curve.

 

[Derrel]

You have the left point, the black point, adjusted to 36. You set the right point, the highlight point, at 240.

 

[photo1x1.com]

It really depends on how I want the image to look like. Sometimes I feel a low contrast look fits the image better, at other times not so much. But in general I try to have a series of images look similar.
I shoot raw and when you open raw image in Lightroom or Photoshop, there are other settings that are more subtle than the level adjustment.
In your example I´d say it is a little overdone. The teeth in reality are not 100% white and his hair/beard not 100% black. But ajusting the levels to the first bars of the histogram does just that.

 

[weepete]

Yes. Normally I do something similar

 

[480sparky40 39]

Depends on how I want the image to look.

Whatever you think looks most attractive. I'm open to suggestions.

If adjusting the black & white points gets you a more 'attractive' image, and that's what you want, then yes.... adjust the black & white points.

If adjusting the points doesn't get you the 'attractive' image you want, then no, don't do it. Adjusting the levels and/or curves is not mandatory. If you don't, it's not like the Level and Curves Police are going to arrest you and throw you into a room with striped sunshine.

 

[john.margetts]

People seem to be resistant to looking at their pictures and deciding for themselves for that picture. Rules are required and will then be followed.

I can understand asking what the sliders do but do not understand the not trying and looking at the effects. What I would do is achieve my own vision for the picture which is useless to anyone else with their vision.