What does a higher peak in a histogram indicate?

A higher peak in a histogram indicates that there are more pixels in that particular tone, meaning that a significant number of the image's pixels share the same brightness level. In a histogram, which graphs pixel values from dark to light, peaks represent the quantity of pixels at each tonal value. When the histogram shows a pronounced peak, it suggests a concentration of tones in that specific range, be it shadows, midtones, or highlights. This can provide insight into the image's tonal distribution and help photographers assess aspects like exposure and contrast.

Understanding this helps photographers make adjustments if they aim for a more balanced tonal range or want to highlight specific elements in their image. In contrast, the other answer choices do not accurately reflect the implications of a histogram's shape. For instance, a lower exposure would typically show peaks shifted toward the left side (the darker tones), while color balance and detail in the image are not directly indicated by the histogram's peaks, but rather by the overall shape and distribution across the entire histogram.