A histogram shows how image tones are distributed from dark on the left to bright on the right. It does not tell you whether the photograph is interesting or correctly composed. A dark scene can naturally cluster left; a bright scene can cluster right.
Check detail at the edges
A pile-up at an edge can indicate clipped tones. Check highlights that you want to retain, and inspect separate colour-channel histograms when available. The camera’s display usually reflects its JPEG processing, even when you record RAW, so it is a guide rather than a direct RAW measurement.
Try it
Photograph a scene with bright clouds and a darker foreground. Make a small exposure series. Compare the photographs, the histogram and highlight warnings. Decide which detail matters and whether the scene exceeds what one exposure can hold.
By Joseph Hubbard, photographer and artist at Hubbard.ART.
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