The popularity and convenience of digital cameras as well as the widespread of use of Internet communications have caused digital images to become ubiquitous. For example, user-produced digital photographs are posted to various Internet sites, such as web pages, social networking services, etc. for users and others to view. However, many images, such as photographs taken by cameras, can include various features unsatisfying to a user. One typically undesirable feature is the reduction of brightness range encountered in the translation of a real-life scene to a photo or other captured image. Due to the lower dynamic range in captured images, the range of brightness is much less than in the real-life scene, with the result that portions of the brightness range in the image are reduced in contrast. This can lead to details being lost in shadows or other dark areas of the image, or conversely, light areas being washed out of details. To improve such undesirable contrast in images, a user can edit images by adjusting the contrast of images using operations such as local contrast enhancement.