This is #10 of TTG’s Allowable Changes
Making “light”-related changes
(Tones, colors, contrast, brightness, overexposure, underexposure, hue, saturation, highlight/shadow detail, etc.)
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A. When set to their automatic modes and not programmed to exaggerate various effects, most 21st-century cameras and devices produce TTG-qualified “light”-related results by default
Except for users who amp up their device’s default color rendering so that it exaggerates “light”-related effects to the point of misrepresentation,
most people will not have to make “light”-related adjustments to most of their photographs in order for the photos to meet P7. Their photos will generally meet P7 if they were taken on automatic settings.
Usually it is only if the defaults have been programmed to exaggerate tones and colors, or if something is clearly amiss — significantly over- or underexposed, a color balance that is so far off that the photo could be deceptive — that the TTG photographer “has” to make “light”-related changes.
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B. But sometimes “light”-related changes may be required for a photograph to qualify for the TTG label
If the photo was recorded in ways that misrespresent the tones and colors that were “seen at the scene,” then “light”-related changes are not only allowed but are actually required in order to meet P7.
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C. No type of “light”-related change is disqualified by TTG as long as the result meets P7
There is no limit on the degree of “light”-related changes that is permissible in order to meet P7.
For example, if the photograph was recorded on color-negative film, all of the colors will have to be inverted for the photo to meet P7.
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D. Meeting P7 includes the effect of “light”-related changes on non-light-related aspects
(P7 is here)
Any “light”-related changes must be gauged not only for their effect on “tones and colors” in the scene depicted but also for those changes’ effect on “forms and shapes” (non-light-related aspects).
If the result does not meet rinairs — for example, if the “tones and colors” in specific areas of the photo are excessively darkened to make “forms and shapes” in those areas disappear — then the photograph will not meet P7 and cannot qualify for the TTG label. (For more on this, see the Key entry on highlight and shadow detail.)
Similarly, if when converting a color photograph to b&w/monochrome the photographer filtered out specific hues to make depictions of that color disappear — spray-painted graffiti on a wall, for example — then the result would obviously be disqualified by P7.
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E. Lighting “effects” (like those that are popular on smartphones) cannot be introduced
A photograph is disqualified from P7 — and thus from TTG — if at any time a lighting effect is introduced that misrepresents what the camera lens saw at the time of exposure.
See also the background brief on “seen vs. simulated”
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F. Image providers are permitted to moderate what they deem to be excessive “light”-related effects in TTG-labeled photographs
Image providers may make any of TTG's Allowable Changes that they judge to bring a TTG-labeled photograph closer to rinairs standards (see also #4 here).
This allowance exists in large part because smartphone users often program their devices to produce what trusted image providers regard as exaggerated “light”-related effects, particularly with regard to saturation and contrast.
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G. Black-and-white/monochrome photographs can qualify as TTG
Black-and-white (monochrome) photographs have always been a staple of reportage photography.
Thus black-and-white (monochrome) photographs can meet P7 — and can be eligible to qualify as TTG — as long as they do not misrepresent the tonality of the scene (i.e., brighter tones must remain brighter and darker tones must remain darker).
See also FAQ #901 and the Key entry on monochrome black-and-white.
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The Background brief on “light”
• The FAQ questions on allowable “light”-related changes