How to Use the Histogram on a Digital Camera: Information for Beginner Photographers

Almost every digital camera has a histogram function - even the cheap $80 cameras at Walmart. It can usually be accessed through a series of menu clicks, and is a small graph with rising and dropping bars on the screen. Amazingly enough, very few people know what to due with this little graph. The histogram on a digital camera is created to help the photographer avoid over-exposure in their photos, and is a very useful tool when actually used. If you have discovered the histogram feature on your digital camera and you'd like to finally learn how to use it, read on.

Turn on the Histogram

You'll need to turn it on before you can use it. If you discovered it by accident, and then subsequently went looking for this article, then skip to the next section below. If not, pull out your manual and start looking under Table of Contents for histogram. Find it and start it up. Some cameras will allow you to make a shortcut button series to start it up, or will allow you to make it start up automatically under a custom created user setting.

No matter what you do with it, get it started before proceeding.

Reading the Histogram

You notice the lines in the histogram, better referred to as the levels, are constantly moving and shape-shifting, especially if you're pointing it at moving objects, such as cars or a TV.

There are three areas you need to pay attention to on this histogram, and if you're lucky, they will be colored coded red/blue/green - it doesn't matter if they are or not, but it certainly does help. Point the camera at a dark area and notice the lines on the histogram shift to the left side of the graph. This is because the left side of the histogram is used to identify the amount of shadows (dark pixels) in your photo. Now, point the camera at a light object, and notice the lines will shift to the other side (right side) of the histogram. This is because the right side identifies the number of light sources in your photo. Finally, point the camera at an evenly lit wall, or outdoors when the sky is clear but the sun is hidden, and notice the lines peek in the center - this indicates even midtones.