Contrast

Use the contrast transformation to increase or reduce tonal separation in a delivered image variant.

Overview

Contrast can make thumbnails and previews feel sharper, or soften an image when the source is too harsh. It is often paired with brightness or saturation adjustments.

Syntax

Field	Value
Canonical parameter	contrast
Alias	co
Value syntax	multiplier[:pivot] or an SDK object with multiplier and optional pivot

Example

https://cdn.imgwire.dev/{organization_id}/{environment_id}/{image_id}?contrast=1.35:0.5

image.url({
  contrast: '1.35:0.5',
  format: 'auto',
  quality: 'auto',
});

imgwire images url img_123 --contrast 1.35:0.5 --format auto --quality auto

Before and after

OriginalHigher contrast

Compare Original and Higher contrast

Best practices

• Use contrast when image details need more separation at small display sizes.
• Avoid strong contrast changes on user-generated content unless the product intentionally applies a style.
• Pair contrast with format=auto and quality=auto for public delivery.

Common mistakes

• Increasing contrast until shadows or highlights lose detail.
• Applying contrast globally when only a specific image class needs it.
• Confusing contrast with sharpness. Use Sharpen for edge sharpening.

Related pages

• Brightness
• Saturation
• Sharpen

Last updated at: May 9, 2026