I just tried setting the contract to full on one of these photos of the doctor's employees I am working on and it really brought out where the shading needs to go. I am not going to draw it that dark but it sure makes it clear where the shading should be. I think most any photo program will allow you to adjust the contrast.

I have heard that this is a great tool. Maybe I will try it on one of my daughter's photos and see what I can do.

Eric

When I have drawn pictures in the past I have always had trouble with the depth, all my images look flat. So having said that, you have shown me something I may try. Thanks!

Another technique you can use is to squint. Something about that was mentioned in Brenda's book DRAWING FOR DUMMIES. When you squint, less light gets into your eyes. There are two kinds of sensing-cells in the retinas, the "rods" and the "cones". The cones see in colours but need more light to do that. At night or in low light, colours disappear so that, if you have at least a little light, you enter a twilight, black and white world.



If you achieve this state by squinting, colours disappear and you can focus on shading and tone.

For reference photos that are over lit or taken with a flash you can use the posterize feature on Adobe Photoshop if you have it. This will provide subtle changes in tone that will give you a little more to 'grab onto' when drawing.

I don't have photoshop on the computer that I am on right now but I will explain where to find it later. I believe it is under the Adjust Image section.