In the workflow
Why Brightness matters
Use it to correct the overall exposure before dithering, then check that highlights and shadows still contain useful separation.
Practical check
How to evaluate it
Evaluate brightness on the final crop, not the uncropped photograph. Recheck both highlight separation and shadow detail after the overall exposure moves.
Go deeper
How to Prepare a Photo for Laser Engraving
A complete, machine-neutral workflow for choosing, cropping, tuning, dithering, sizing, inspecting, and testing a laser engraving photo.
Read the complete guide