Squeezing is my way of stretching - same thing but I do it backwards coz I'm left handed.
The image can be manipulated thus:
I did this in PS but it can be done similarly in GIMP (free)
Levels - clip black so histogram is over to the left with small gap between the light graph and the edge.Move the central arrow left until the image starts to blotch and then back off a bit.
Go to curves pull middle of graph line towards left top corner until image has more light, divide line - 1/4 of way up drag line down to clip black again - pull 1/4 from top to form S - to bring out a little more light.
If it has a particular colour, pull one of the colours on the curve to improve colour correction.
That's all I did - total about 30 seconds - do it a few times and you can really make it 'pop' - without ever doing anything else.
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